The Zero Poll

[optidiscic]

There seems to be great debate as to when to use the zero rating when reviewing. There are several understandings of what a zero rating is. I understand zero to me the course does not exist. Others may think it refers to unplayable. Or it may mean just an extremely poor course. Often the zero is used out of anger to slam a course. Everyone seems to think of it differently. In my mind, I don't use it as to me zero means nothing and when I came across a course that was gone I contacted TimG and he removed it and it bacame extinct...I know the zero rating is rarely used and this is the reason the rating system is skewed upward. My question would be as follows:

When have you used the zero rating?

Never-I believe any course that exists is at least a 0.5

Never-I believe a zero is out there but I have stumbled upon it yet

Yes I have marked a course a zero, it was unplayable for some reason

Yes I have marked a course a zero, it was the worst course I ever played

 

[tmahan]

The Happy Banana would be a candidate for a zero if it still existed.

 

[valkyrie]

I think any course is at least a .05, as long as your out there, having a good time, throwing some plastic, its worth the 0.5 atleast, no matter where you play!

 

[swatso]

If I combined my five 0.5s ...

I've never given a zero, but have given five 0.5s.

If I took the worst features of the courses I've rated 0.5s, I'd have:

• less than nine baskets
• unmarked tee locations of worn dirt spots
• un-numbered baskets of poor quality
• no directional signs
• lots of cross-fire potential
• short and repetitive
• horrid flow between holes
• lots of "pedestrian" traffic and other inappropriate obstacles
• cost-to-play

Yeah, I could imagine giving such a course a zero!

 

[jkdisc]

theres a place called the fun junktion in Elizabeth City NC thats not on this site that is very terrible. Junktion spelled with a "k" because its made in a former garbage dump. i would rate it very badly but just because there are baskets there that i can throw plastic at makes me say its more than a zero.

 

[Donovan]

If a course is unplayable or more importantly the chances of really hurting some kids is so great that it makes the course unplayable, then I fell it gets a zero. These are the 2 courses that I did give a zero rating so far.

Chapman Park in Chapman, NE, USA

Plum Creek in Lexington, NE, USA

 

[prerube]

I have given some horrible courses ratings of .5 or even higher. it would take ALOT to get a zero.

 

[ejvogie]

I think any course is at least a .05, as long as your out there, having a good time, throwing some plastic, its worth the 0.5 atleast, no matter where you play!

This phrase is key. I came VERY close to not having fun at one 9 holer I played. I rated it as a 1, but it could easily be rated worse if I played it again, assuming nothing improved.

 

[Tolbert]

I've always thought the worst course I've ever played was at least a .5 I've told my friend that lives next to it with no other courses within 30-40 min drive, "hey, at least there's baskets to throw at." but after looking at your poll and rethinking it a bit i will finally review it and give it a zero. I'm sorry to say there is such a thing as total waste of baskets.

 

[djjeremiahj]

...

as long as a course gives a full 9 holes i dont see how it could garner a zero rating.
if it has 18 holes i am not sure that it could garner anything less than a 1.

IMHO, a zero is an INCOMPLETE or unfinished course.

If it's got 9 holes and is established enough to have a name it's better than us going out to the field and saying "first one to hit that tree..." <- aka "Ghetto Safari"

 

[BrotherDave]

I've never given a zero but if I find a course that has angry pitbulls tied to every basket, I will.

 

[Donovan]

If a course is built in a busy park with lots of little kids running around all day long, how can you feel OK about playing there? If the course is incomplete and the there is a safety factor like this, that has to garnish a zero. A zero course for me is one that should not be played at all or even pulled-out/moved.

 

[sillybizz]

I have given two zero's out of my 60+ courses reviewed, one course is just four baskets all next to each other in a cramped park, it's nothing more than putting practice with four baskets. the other is a pole course that is 30 years old and has at least two poles missing and the rest are unplayable because of sticker bushes. I'm not afraid to give a zero where it's due. If you always give at least a 0.5 because "it's a course and better than nothing" then my practice basket is a 0.5.

 

[Tolbert]

If you always give at least a 0.5 because "it's a course and better than nothing" then my practice basket is a 0.5.

Haha. couldn't have said it better.

 

[tallpaul]

The hand full of courses that are being described as zeros are probably no more than 20 or 30, at most, in the whole U.S....therefore the 0 is essentially useless....except in these extreme cases. If these are zeros; what is a .5? Volkgirl's certainly looked like a zero. I know one or two that I can think of as well; Harr has more than once mentioned the Duck Pond Rec. Area http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=2546# This, and a few that are now extinct in Illinois, are ones that I would give a zero to. Another, by the same designer; and utilizing the same type of baskets as Duck Pond is The Abbey Resort DGC http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=2751 This I would give the next higher designation; or a .5. (By the way, these baskets actually catch half way decent; it's not this alone; by any means; that makes these two courses awful)

Wisconsin is proud to say that we have nearly 150 courses in the ground now....so, I've used the first two designations for the worst two courses in the state. There goes two of my ten options and only 140 or so courses yet to rate. lol

 

[harr0140]

I've always thought the worst course I've ever played was at least a .5 I've told my friend that lives next to it with no other courses within 30-40 min drive, "hey, at least there's baskets to throw at." but after looking at your poll and rethinking it a bit i will finally review it and give it a zero. I'm sorry to say there is such a thing as total waste of baskets.

Are you serious a 4 holer, thats like 2 Kops Parks. And it has concrete tees and tee signs. The 723' is the bomb!

 

[DiscJunkie]

I've seen crappy courses in my time, but as long as I can throw a disc at a basket - it'll get a 1.0

 

[harr0140]

The hand full of courses that are being described as zeros are probably no more than 20 or 30, at most, in the whole U.S....therefore the 0 is essentially useless....except in these extreme cases. If these are zeros; what is a .5? Volkgirl's certainly looked like a zero. I know one or two that I can think of as well; Harr has more than once mentioned the Duck Pond Rec. Area http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=2546# This, and a few that are now extinct in Illinois, are ones that I would give a zero to. Another, by the same designer; and utilizing the same type of baskets as Duck Pond is The Abbey Resort DGC http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=2751 This I would give the next higher designation; or a .5. (By the way, these baskets actually catch half way decent; it's not this alone; by any means; that makes these two courses awful)

Wisconsin is proud to say that we have nearly 150 courses in the ground now....so, I've used the first two designations for the worst two courses in the state. There goes two of my ten options and only 140 or so courses yet to rate. lol

That might be Dave242's best review ever! Time to thumb it up/

 

[discjon]

If it has baskets, I'm not giving it a 0. Plain and simple.

 

[Jimb]

Based upon the ratings a .5 is "Bad" and a 0 is "abysmal." So I can see where there could easily be abysmal courses. If a 5 is the best of the best, and a true 5 does exist, then I believe that a true worst of the worst, 0 would exist too. Fortunately, I haven't played one yet.