Slippery Teepads: The Solution?

[Emoney]

So I have noticed more often this year the players commenting or having trouble with slippery teepads. Uli mentioned on recent coverage that the Pro tour needs to do better to protect their players. He didn't elaborate on how they do that.

My questions are:

Should the pro tour demand courses change their teepads to be more uniform?

Who will pay for the teepads if they try and do this?

What material is best for teepads, in all conditions?

Is there a possible "Plan B" for if the teepads are hazardous?(such as having backup temp pads available for use...like turf or something)

Do ppl believe teepad inconsistencies are just part of the game?

I hate seeing bad golf because of slippery teepads. I do think they need to figure out solutions to this eventually.

 

[jupiterboy]

I bet we need flexibility based on climate and location. The astroturf gets really slippery when it is caked with mud.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Getting aces is too easy and the tee pads are too big!

 

[wolfhaley]

Standstill drives only.

 

[Monocacy]

Expand the 10m circle to include teepads!

But yeah, the best teepad material is probably going to vary by location.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Jeff Spring should come down hard on the guy who runs Smuggler's...

 

[R-Ogre]

Adjusting to different tee pads and conditions is as much part of the sport as throwing from any other difficult lie. A so-called professional should be able to make safe choices.

 

[seedlings]

Bring 18 talc/birdie/rosin bags. Dump one on each pad before you throw. Alternately, in addition to a broom, have a propane torch on hand to dry them off.

 

[Horsman]

I've always approached teepads from a safety standpoint and to me turf, rubber, pavers, etc. are not safe to throw off of. My one disc golf injury was caused by me being naïve about a decade ago. My home course at the time upgraded from natural tees to this plastic grating with stone and sand being crushed into the grating. They were great for about the first week and then they got slick as they lost all that exposed stone and sand. I had no experience with anything other than natural or concrete tees so I didn't expect these to be any different. I ended up pulling a hammy from gliding along the bare plastic and I still haven't recovered from it fully.

I personally think that if there was a way that top pros could make enough money from disc golf where there weren't forced to throw from unsafe tees then I think you would see more top pros not in attendance at some of these big events. Right now, if you want to make it as a top pro then you have to play the DGPT, NT and Major events. All of which use courses with unsafe tees. IMO.

Yes the competition is still fair since everybody at the event has to use the same tees but when you see an event where they extend the width of the teebox to include the natural ground next to the tee you start to wonder why. In the case of the portland open this year it was a mix of the wider teepads being used to break the course to open up unintended lines but a big part of it was also safety. Now those tees were an outlier but you see it all over the place where time and time again you see the pros teeing from the side of the teepad. Some of this is definitely to throw a better line but my guess would be that this is done a majority of the time to get better footing then the provided teepad.

I know that I am very one sided here but its a topic I'm very passionate about and it hardly gets brought up and I think it needs to be addressed more. There are two parts of the game that we can't determine that we all have to use if we choose to play (minus the weather). The baskets and the teepads. One has standards set forth by the PDGA for competition and the other does not. I think that should be changed.

 

[wolfhaley]

My home course at the time upgraded from natural tees to this plastic grating with stone and sand being crushed into the grating. They were great for about the first week and then they got slick as they lost all that exposed stone and sand. I had no experience with anything other than natural or concrete tees so I didn't expect these to be any different. I ended up pulling a hammy from gliding along the bare plastic and I still haven't recovered from it fully.

Abendschien?

 

[Streets]

Outlaw the run-up, stand-and-deliver disc golf only.

 

[Horsman]

Abendschien?

Lol, yup. Glad someone knew that.

 

[wolfhaley]

Lol, yup. Glad someone knew that.

Yeah those are bad. By the looks of them I thought they were a pretty cool idea. It was one the first courses I ever played. That is not the case at all.

 

[Horsman]

Yeah those are bad. By the looks of them I thought they were a pretty cool idea. It was one the first courses I ever played. That is not the case at all.

Same here on all accounts, thats where I cut my teeth when I first started playing. With the same stuff being used under the pins you got some real bad skips off that stuff. Thankfully the course is all concrete tees now.

 

[jmdaire27]

IMO having good teepads is probably the biggest thing I consider when "rating"/judging a course. (I don't rate them often, but) I'd probably give a course a max rating of 3 if teepads aren't present or aren't good. I think it is hard to beat (adequately broomed) concrete pads, around my parts, at least.

So for the PT, I do think there should be a standard for what the pads should be (relative to location).

 

[Armus Patheticus]

A good bleaching can restore grip to some pads that are slimed with algae, a common problem in damp, dark woods.

 

[DeanMoriarty]

The trick is to bring your OWN teepad with you to every course so that way no matter what you always have a good teepad.

 

[swhite]

I live in New England, and have played on lots of different tee pad surfaces. None are safe when stuff builds up on them.

I've spent considerable time and effort breaking up 2 inch ice buildup on tee pads, only to return two days later and find 2 more inches of ice buildup on them. Nobody attempts a run up on that surface. Stand still throws only.




How about this for a solution? Treat the tee box like the treadmills at your gym. Protect the tee box with an enclosed teebox building/pavilion around each tee area, one side facing the fairway that will open before each tee shot. Players must bring a separate set of tee shoes that they put on for the tee shot. Tee shoes must always be clean and dry. Players then once again don their outdoor shoes before proceeding down the fairway, where they might still get injured while attempting a throw due to slippery conditions.

 

[oldmandiscer]

I saw Uli and Jerm talking about that. I think they could do an upgrade at minimal cost. Simply extend the pads with brushed concrete another 4 feet forward. Now they are longer and your plant foot should be safe.

 

[R-Ogre]

I live in New England, and have played on lots of different tee pad surfaces. None are safe when stuff builds up on them.

I've spent considerable time and effort breaking up 2 inch ice buildup on tee pads, only to return two days later and find 2 more inches of ice buildup on them. Nobody attempts a run up on that surface. Stand still throws only.




How about this for a solution? Treat the tee box like the treadmills at your gym. Protect the tee box with an enclosed teebox building/pavilion around each tee area, one side facing the fairway that will open before each tee shot. Players must bring a separate set of tee shoes that they put on for the tee shot. Tee shoes must always be clean and dry. Players then once again don their outdoor shoes before proceeding down the fairway, where they might still get injured while attempting a throw due to slippery conditions.

Fairways should also be perfectly flat and level, can't risk having someone twist an ankle throwing on sloping ground or heaven forbid a tree root.