There pros and cons to the growth. I don't deny the cons.
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As a private course owner it's kinda cool. If I would to open up my course more I always wonder if I could actually make a somewhat living from this. Idk if it would be worth the headaches though.
I've only played 3 or 4 years. I accept that my knowledge of the sport is really limited, but I have a hard time seeing any of the pros.
Conceptually, more demand equals more courses. However, there is a finite amount of land and there is a massive housing shortage. I don't really see anybody tearing down subdivisions or miles of packed retail businesses to build disc golf courses.
But at least the nuisance of crowded courses has bought us a much bigger selection of courses to play. I doubt we'd have seen the boom in public and private courses, without the players.
I inevitably wonder: at what point in the past, do we wish the gates had closed? If the guys complaining about growth in 2003 had had their way and halted it, would we be happier with the disc golf landscape, today?
I've only played 3 or 4 years. I accept that my knowledge of the sport is really limited, but I have a hard time seeing any of the pros.
Conceptually, more demand equals more courses. However, there is a finite amount of land and there is a massive housing shortage. I don't really see anybody tearing down subdivisions or miles of packed retail businesses to build disc golf courses.
Let's face it.... casual family oriented disc golf is the perceived sport for the rest of us. You don't need to be in shape, you don't need to jump high, be strong, run fast, catch or kick a ball, etc. Throw in some bonus points for hiking, nature watching, and it really is no surprise it's taking off as a family oriented past time. The pandemic may certainly exploded the awareness of it, but I think it's here to stay. Fwiw...I'm also an avid outdoorsman and I've seen disc golf listed as an outdoor activity on the same pages as fishing or hunting.
I just wish we could somehow force those family outings to use nothing but regular frisbees. They would probably throw them further and have alot more fun.
If you're close enough to busy courses, I would look into it. You could possibly charge a premium to play as the regulars would probably be willing to get off the crowded courses.
I imagine you'd have to be located closer to more of the population for that to be feasible.As a private course owner it's kinda cool. If I would to open up my course more I always wonder if I could actually make a somewhat living from this. Idk if it would be worth the headaches though.
This is where the game is headed. This is, and really always has been, where the growth of the game comes from. IMO, that is why smaller baskets, huge longer ball golf course are not a big part of the growth formula. We get caught up here, because of our engagement, but the above discussions are about 200 players in the world. In the meantime, discussions at the club levels of our game, are about finding ways to put in park courses for the new players and families that are coming into the game. That is what we should be having 500 page discussion about.
This is where the game is headed. This is, and really always has been, where the growth of the game comes from. IMO, that is why smaller baskets, huge longer ball golf course are not a big part of the growth formula. We get caught up here, because of our engagement, but the above discussions are about 200 players in the world. In the meantime, discussions at the club levels of our game, are about finding ways to put in park courses for the new players and families that are coming into the game. That is what we should be having 500 page discussion about.
I don't really recall people complaining about growth the entire time but YMMV. IMO crowded courses are going to be much more than a nuisance very soon. If you look slightly to the north of me the courses in Northern Virginia were, with one exception, built to be played with Frisbees by a limited amount of players. They have every safety concern you could imagine. There is zero chance I would install anything like those courses today but they are getting played by tons of beginners with discs like destroyers and bosses even though they are very short by modern standards. (The thing I wish the gates had closed on is disc technology. We would be much better off if the movement to wider and wider rims was cut off around 2000.)
I personally have played only a handful of casual rounds at public courses in months and months and don't really foresee going back to doing so.
There is a new public course not far from here which put in some sketchy/dangerous holes against my advice. 2 people were struck in the past couple weeks. I can see a worst case scenario where we lose a lot of public park courses over similar issues.
. . . pay to play and high difficulty courses . . . mostly weeds these types out . . .
What I'd like to see in the growth of new courses is more consistent use of legit designers and/or manufactures, or local clubs to help ensure:
Course that are safely designed/laid out.
Courses that can accommodate a range of skills, (or at least making sure there are suitable course for novices nearby).
Some degree of consistency in signage to help keep pace of play moving.
These are things that will enhance the quality of the experience.
The bolded was already a problem and is rapidly becoming moreso. The onus imo is on the manufacturers to institute some policies dictating at the least a design inspection for courses to be installed on public property. Right now if you have the money you can put in a course with no oversight whatsoever.
I inevitably wonder: at what point in the past, do we wish the gates had closed? If the guys complaining about growth in 2003 had had their way and halted it, would we be happier with the disc golf landscape, today?
I absolutely agree with this! But, what do we do about the existing courses? Many of them were borderline unsafe when they were put In years and years ago. Now with the course traffic exploding, those issues are so much more magnified. A full blown redesign isn't feasible most places.
I have a few local courses that I understand why it was(maybe?) okay with 10 players at a time, but now? Half of my home course should be pulled. One hole literally plays straight across a beach. Granted if you've ever seen the lake, it's not a super popular beach, but still. People are always lounging on the sand there. Others zig zag precariously close to each other throughout a public use picnic area and playground.