Destination Courses - Do You Go For The Course Layout or The Scenery/Surroundings?

[DavidSauls]

Sounds like he did very little research before heading from Canada to Selah. You would hope somewhere in the planning process he would see, read, infer, determine what the course was like and how it played. You plan a trip and don't know a thing about the course. That's on you.

Agreed. That's the answer---go beyond the ratings, to the reviews. And the photos.

And a little more self-awareness, that we're all unique and shouldn't assume that "everyone" thinks like we do, would be good. For all of us.

 

[blazerico]

I was into playing top ten courses for a few years. I learned a few things: The rating system doesn't (nor can it) account for course owners or locals that prompt visitors to write rave reviews. I'm not saying that happens at selah, haven't been there yet and I'm in no hurry since I don't really like TX disc golf courses. Ratings prompting definitely happens at BRP. So far, BRP is the one course in the top ten that I 100% think shouldn't be that high on the list. That said, there is no way to prevent it, so moving on to complain about how cold it is...

 

[tallpaul]

BRP, Visionquest, Bucksnort (& Phantom Falls), and Flip City are all probably courses in the top ten that would fit the OP's criteria in certain respects. However, I don't know that any of those would put him near the "nightlife/surrounding attractions" that also seem to be a part of his personal criteria.

As has been noted by responses thus far...and what always ends up being the answer to this type of inquiry...ratings are very subjective and each will have to do their own research to discover what courses suit their desires the best.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

...we're all unique and shouldn't assume that "everyone" thinks like we do, would be good. For all of us.

Bah... My opinions are correct, my reviews are the only ones that matter and I speak for all disc golfers.

:smug@$$fullofhimselfarrogantsmileyface:

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

We were massively underwhelmed ... by the inhospitable, sullen welcome we received from the guy who opened up the pro shop for us (it was cold and he clearly didn't like the fact that anyone had come out to play and he had to drive out and open up the course).

Was this him?

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

Try Ozark Mountain (Eagle's nest landing) - 3 epic courses makes for an incredible experience - you won't find well manicured or a proshop or martinis.

Try Highbridge Hills - 6 epic courses.

Try Rollin Ridge - This is about as close to the ball golf experience I've seen, Well manicured, pro shop, bar, good local scene, etc.

Try Base Camp Adventure Lodge.

Hornings Hideout. Birds of Paradise. Iffy Hollers. The Lodge at Taylor Ranch. Diamond X. Maple Hill.

All of these courses I talk about have scenic beauty. Great layout. Challenge for different levels of play. NO nightlife...

What do I look for when building a destination course? Epic unique holes that make people want to pull out their camera and post to facebook and tell their friends about that one hole for years to come.

 

[tallpaul]

....having played this layout with Mr. Dewgarita.... I did not note OP saying; "possible death experience" was part of his criteria!

Try Ozark Mountain (Eagle's nest landing) - 3 epic courses makes for an incredible experience - you won't find well manicured or a proshop or martinis.

Try Highbridge Hills - 6 epic courses.

Try Rollin Ridge - This is about as close to the ball golf experience I've seen, Well manicured, pro shop, bar, good local scene, etc.

Try Base Camp Adventure Lodge.

Hornings Hideout. Birds of Paradise. Iffy Hollers. The Lodge at Taylor Ranch. Diamond X. Maple Hill.

All of these courses I talk about have scenic beauty. Great layout. Challenge for different levels of play. NO nightlife...

What do I look for when building a destination course? Epic unique holes that make people want to pull out their camera and post to facebook and tell their friends about that one hole for years to come.

 

[Shuie]

Personally, I understand to some degree what the OP is talking about but, as many have said on here already. It falls up the person to do the research about courses and areas you are interested in visiting, find reviewers you agree with, perhaps check out the night life, breweries, and eateries.

Me personally, I don't really do to much research about the surrounding area until I'm there but, I'm usually just there for the disc golf, with the hopes I can run into a good microbrew along the way!!

 

[scarpfish]

If I want beautiful surroundings, I'll go to a national park. If there's disc golf there, well awesome, but that wasn't the primary motivation in going there.

And I'm not saying beautiful surroundings can't enhance a course, but if I'm going to play a great course, the surroundings aren't the primary motivation in going there. Some great courses have really average surroundings. Some great surroundings host some pretty basic courses.

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

Some great surroundings host some pretty basic courses.

You mean this isn't the best restaurant in the world?

 

[markmcc]

I played Selah for the first time recently and found it to be an outstanding experience. But I don't care (even a little) about the surrounding area, nightlife, breweries, etc. I love the outdoors and prefer rural areas. That ranch is gorgeous and the disc golf is outstanding.

In defense of the "grumpy guy", I played on a winter weekday, and it was clear to me that he was a maintenance man with plenty of other things to do. Added on to his "to do" list for the morning was to get a golf cart ready for the one player (me) arriving that day. He was efficient and got me on my way so that he could get on with his chores. I didn't expect anything more, and wasn't disappointed in the least. But then I have worked in parks and other outdoor facilities and know that people can get spread pretty thin.

To answer the OP's original question: I go for the layout and the scenery, but not for the surroundings. I"ll take a beautiful natural course over something jammed into an urban park any day. My personal favorite in terms of the mix of golf and scenery? Grindstone Park in Ruidoso, NM.

 

[Treeplant]

I played Selah for the first time recently and found it to be an outstanding experience. But I don't care (even a little) about the surrounding area, nightlife, breweries, etc. I love the outdoors and prefer rural areas. That ranch is gorgeous and the disc golf is outstanding.

In defense of the "grumpy guy", I played on a winter weekday, and it was clear to me that he was a maintenance man with plenty of other things to do. Added on to his "to do" list for the morning was to get a golf cart ready for the one player (me) arriving that day. He was efficient and got me on my way so that he could get on with his chores. I didn't expect anything more, and wasn't disappointed in the least. But then I have worked in parks and other outdoor facilities and know that people can get spread pretty thin.

To answer the OP's original question: I go for the layout and the scenery, but not for the surroundings. I"ll take a beautiful natural course over something jammed into an urban park any day. My personal favorite in terms of the mix of golf and scenery? Grindstone Park in Ruidoso, NM.

Yeah for sure about the guy who got us our cart, it was the same situation and that's all it was, disc golf was a "to do" thing he didn't want to do.

It just doesn't add to the experience when you ask the guy "do you play yourself?" and he looks at you with disdain and says no like you just asked him "do you dress up in little girl's clothes and have tea parties?" The overall point is that you go to one of the top ranked disc golf courses in the world and the guy at the pro shop appearing to hate disc golf as a chore doesn't add to the experience is all.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I can see how it would diminish the experience being greeted with someone with a bah humbug like attitude. You think that they'd be able to find someone who's at least into the sport if not enthusiastic. I imagine they could offer free play to such a person as a perk to help the attract more positive people. I mean that's just a smarter business decision.

 

[jeffmonty]

You mean this isn't the best restaurant in the world?

How can we be sure that it wasn't at one time, like back in early 600 BC?

As for the problem the OP is facing, I would start with looking at the areas I would like to visit for the scenery, then narrow it down by researching the DG options in those areas. And, I wouldn't rule out a place because it has mostly 3 disc rated courses. There are some really fun courses that are rated no more than 3 on here. If you're travelling far to a 'top' course you've never played, and counting on it to make or break your expensive vacation, you might be doing it wrong.

 

[Treeplant]

I tried to edit that post but I was too late. I kind of realized as a public forum I don't want to slag on a guy just doing his job on a cold winter day who drove over and opened for us when he probably had other things to do. He was truly fine, no issues whatsoever with the guy personally, he wasn't rude, he just clearly didn't care much for disc golf, it's not a good reason to point him out on a public forum, I regret posting that.

The point I was trying to make was more that the pro shop of the "best course" was staffed by a person who doesn't play disc golf or appear to care about the sport. Anyway, I think my entire post has come across as way more negative than I intended and makes me sound like I want all courses to be high end pay-per-play, which isn't the case. Some of my favourite courses I would never want to see developed further than a few signs thrown up by a local club - overdevelopment is awful and I'd hate to see disc golf in general move to a pay-for-play model that felt like ball golf. It's all just discussion, we all love playing and take different experiences from playing, let's keep a wide mix of courses and styles out there.

 

[Orioles_Lefty]

Given the resources required to create and maintain manicured ball golf courses, resources including petroleum and chemicals that damage the environment, I'm not in favor of DG adopting the course specifications/conditions expected for ball golf. Sure, any course requires grass cutting and upkeep, which requires gasoline and sometimes chemicals, but not near the level of ball golf. And yes, ball golf, overall, has become more environonmentally aware, but they couldn't have gotten much worse with their practices.

I'm all for repurposing failed golf courses for DG purposes.

I prefer courses that combine hiking with throwing discs. If nice scenery and nice hole design is included, awesome. The setting matters and the course design matters and I applaud courses that do the best they can with the land they have without severe destruction to the land itself.

And I secondly prefer park courses as someone who champions mixed-use areas.

 

[BrotherDave]

My preference is for layout/design the most but scenery does factor in heavily. I mean, you could play a well designed course in an abandoned industrial park probably but how much would you really enjoy it? The night life/surroundings doesn't factor into my preferences hardly at all. If I'm traveling to play DG I'm there to throw plastic, period. Like Shuie said, if there's a microbrewery or decent grub spot around to cool down at afterwards that's cool but definitely doesn't go into the rating.

 

[TAFL]

Anyway, I think my entire post has come across as way more negative than I intended and makes me sound like I want all courses to be high end pay-per-play, which isn't the case. Some of my favourite courses I would never want to see developed further than a few signs thrown up by a local club - overdevelopment is awful and I'd hate to see disc golf in general move to a pay-for-play model that felt like ball golf. It's all just discussion, we all love playing and take different experiences from playing, let's keep a wide mix of courses and styles out there.

Your post was fine. DGCR is home to a lot of asshats, is all, as this thread shows. Keep that in mind and discount some (or much) of the bitching and there's useful discussion to be found.

 

[tallpaul]

^^^^Many of the "best of DGCR" have posted in this thread. Nothing but civilized and positive responses; IMHO.

 

[scarpfish]

The point I was trying to make was more that the pro shop of the "best course" was staffed by a person who doesn't play disc golf or appear to care about the sport.

It bears mentioning that disc golf is not the primary revenue source for our "best course", and if not for the primary revenue source, it and it's counterpart likely would not exist.