Is there a CA curve??

[sloppydisc]

OK, I grant that my old review of Morley was a little weak. But the score stands. It is a good course, but not exceptional. Since then I have played a few more courses, and taking a few thumbs down beatings. No big deal. But someone needs to let the CA gang know that your courses aren't all that. Get over yourselves. You may have the best weather, and the best geography, but those things alone don't make a great course. Get out of the sun a little and go play around the country. There are a few other states, and some better courses out there. I find it really amusing to watch you guys systematically hammer anyone that doesn't overly praise your ground. So my question is this...do I need to add a disc or two to your 'real' scores to keep you happy? Is there a curve or affirmative action program no one told me about? Please educate me so I know how to keep the West Coast members happy.

By the way, Tanner at the shop in Escondido seemed to be an exception to the CA way. Friendly, helpful, and knew his course wasn't perfect. Yet. He will work on it rather than rely on weather and the CA vibe to carry his water. Congrats to him for intellectual honesty. It seems rare in the West.

DISCLAIMER-I lived in CA for 10 years and loved it. It is the most beautiful State in the USA, with the best geography for DG. Now tell me why you guys are so bitter!

This should be fun. Let the rants begin...

 

[jimbosprint]

I was not aware it was East vs. West on here. I thought we were all here for the disc golf.

 

[Huk Finn]

I don't fall into the group of people you are addressing. I love Delaveaga and Stafford Lake though. Wish I could play more out of state courses, all the reviews and pictures are incredible!

 

[sloppydisc]

I thought we were, but obviously I didn't know the secret handshake. Or, I am just a lot dumber than I thought I was. Anything is possible. Maybe I am just trying to get some consistency in reviews. Most places/areas I have been to have similar standards and expectations, but for some reason! CA seems to have greater demands. If anyone else such as Dave242 have opinions would care to chime in I would love to hear it. Vote whores need not apply.

 

[sloppydisc]

Not indicting individuals, just trying to 'get' the CA attitude. I haven't even reviewed more than a few courses because they weren't nearly up to their lofty current grades, and I didn't want to spend the time to do a review well, and then get abused for the effort.

 

[jimbosprint]

Gave you a :thmbup: for Shady Oaks. It's the only course you reviewed that I have played (last weekend for the first time).

If it makes you feel better, I don't get thumbs up or down for my reviews.

 

[SmoothSailor]

Shady Oaks was the first course I ever played. It's a really nice place from later Fall-Spring. In the summer it's way too hot and dry for my taste. CA definitely has some nice courses, and some of the players are way too into themselves, but every state has at least a region comprised of this. Take kindly to it and just go with it.

 

[sloppydisc]

Thanks for the thumb, but don't live or die by the thumbs. I would just like to have some level of review consistency around the country. Probably a pipe dream. It would be nice for people like me to be able to travel around the country, and have some reasonable expectation of knowing what you are getting into when playing a new course. Trust me, it really sucks when you go to a course expecting a roughly 4 disc course, and it really is a 2.5 to 3.0 course. Granted there is some leeway due to personal preferences, but some of the grading that goes on is way off.

 

[sloppydisc]

Chico has some Sierra Nevada!! You deserve ALL thumbs ups!!!

 

[jimbosprint]

I think California just needs more people to read and write reviews (and generally participate in this site). It should even out eventually as it averages more readers. You definitely have to take into consideration the number of reviews. I just drove 2 hours to play a nine hole course that was rated 4 discs. My review here.

Beer: Sierra is literally in my backyard, and I'm drinking some Tumbler Brown Ale right now!

 

[TalbotTrojan]

I think if you bash any course that people love you will get a thumbs down. Try giving Flip City anything less than a 5. Almost makes me not want to write a review if I ever get around to playing Flip.

 

[E-man]

I think if you bash any course that people love you will get a thumbs down. Try giving Flip City anything less than a 5. Almost makes me not want to write a review if I ever get around to playing Flip.

Flip City doesn't need any more reviews. I didn't write one, and have played there probably fifty times. What could I say that a hundred others already have? Still would have given it a five in my book, being my favorite course played to date. But, I haven't played outside MI yet:\

 

[Geaver]

Who cares

Who cares what the people think of your review if you can justify your review with some reasoning behind it. When I look at a course page for a course that I might play or dream of playing, I dont just read the most recent review, but read all the reviews and then get a general idea of what to expect. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

 

[adh56]

Maybe we do have a different set of standards. Personally I like a review that is helpful, not just a score I agree with. Your reviews for Morley Field and Stafford Lake are the same rating as the average for those courses. One is half & half thumbs up/down the other is all thumbs up. One is also a much more detailed review than the other. Before you convince yourself there is a California consipracy you might want to take more time writing helpful reviews.

 

[Apothecary]

Maybe we do have a different set of standards. Personally I like a review that is helpful, not just a score I agree with. Your reviews for Morley Field and Stafford Lake are the same rating as the average for those courses. One is half & half thumbs up/down the other is all thumbs up. One is also a much more detailed review than the other. Before you convince yourself there is a California consipracy you might want to take more time writing helpful reviews.

 

[Skwirly]

There are a lot of courses in Cali that are in bad condition and crowded with non-DGers(many who seem very confused by what your doing with those strange baskets in their local park) I think that California DGers compare to what they know. Go to Aquatic Park in Berkley or Oxford Circle Park in Davis and compare that to Shady Oaks and Shady starts to look a lot better. But there are a lot of amazing courses in at least northern Cali. Riverbend in Oroville(north course is in a transitional phase with half the holes gone), Bijou in South Lake Tahoe, Golden Gate Park in San Fran and of course the legendary De Laveaga. I've got a hundred courses listed on here that are within 150 miles of me only 5 are outside of Cali in Nevada. I haven't had a chance to go out of state yet but can't wait til I do.

 

[JTacoma03]

Meh, it happens all over the place. I wrote a review for Lafrienere park in Metairie, LA and have 0 up and 3 down - despite a descriptive and honest review.

There's always homers - just ignore them. FWIW I think Stafford is overrated, lol.

 

[Danger]

I agree that there IS a California curve, but it is justified. California is a huge state, and other states are pretty far away, making interstate reviews less likely. We have to review our courses subjectively based on what is available in our region.

I have had the fortune to travel out of the state to a relatively un-traveled region (Wyoming/Montana), and I have learned a lot about what cali has to offer. I can tell you that California lacks ANY beauty compared to this area, but the courses have a much more professional layout.

Courses up here have some fun holes, but I find that most scores are based on luck more than skill. The holes are fun to look at, but as far as real DG skill goes, they are not very well designed. Still, the natural beauty KILLS anything cali has. People think Lake Casitas is a 'beautiful course.'

Sure.

For California.

I have learned that having the lake in the background is a nice relief from the typical city-scape, but the course is far from 'beautiful' compared to what the rest of the US has to offer.

I guess my point is that California has its own standards because Californians dont have the opportunity to travel like the east coast does. Everything in Cali takes 8-10 hours or more just to get farther into the state. East coast people travel a couple of hours and are in a completely different region. Our perception of beauty, skill, and technicality is all based on what we have, which is fairly isolated compared to the other side of the US. We shouldn't have to travel to the east coast to make our review subjective to the world. A "5 disc" course for California is the best WE have to offer, which, for most in the state, is all we care about.

Those of us with the opportunity to travel to other courses are lucky, but each region should be entitled to great ratings, and some of cali's courses deserve top notch scores.

 

[Rip Van]

Flip City doesn't need any more reviews. I didn't write one, and have played there probably fifty times. What could I say that a hundred others already have?

All course reviews eventually get out of date, hence the continual need for newer reviews, even for courses like Flip City. And if you find a reviewer whose thinking closely mirrors your thinking about courses, you'll want to see his reviews of courses you're planning to visit.

 

[DSCJNKY]

I was born and raised in CA... a few blocks away from Sylmar. Played my first 8 years of DG in CA... and I have got to tell ya that my perception of DG changed when I moved out here to NC.

Golf is way better out here. Don't get me wrong, CA has a few great courses... but, in general, the Carolina (NC and SC) and Tennessee courses take a big fat sh!t on Cali courses.

And before someone claims that I named 3 states and that's not fair cuz CA is only one state, I submit that CA is long enough to cover the region from ~GA to DC (probably not wide enough though)... and if you were to take the Top 10 from CA and the Top 10 from the GA to DC region, it wouldn't even be close.

Sh!t... if you were to take the Top 10 from NC vs the Top 10 from CA it wouldn't even be close.

Sorry CA... you know I love you and that one day I'll be back... but, DG course wise you got some work to do. See ya in November.
DSCJNKY