Best Places to Live

[Steve West]

A by-product of my formula to optimize the location of new courses is the current Service Levels.

http://stevewestdiscgolf.com/Documents/Whole48BumpyColors.jpg

Because this is a smooth continuous function, I was able to pinpoint the exact spots with the highest disc golf service levels.

Think of the Service Level as approximately the number of baskets you could play everyday, although that's not the definition and there is more to it than that.

Here's the top ten as of 1/1/11. Call a Realtor.

1. 59XX Jennings Rd, Webster, MI 48105 . Service Level = 136.8
Nearest course is Independence Lake - Red Hawk
2. 24XX Shepard Rd, St Paul, MN 55116 . Service Level = 127.5
Nearest course is Highland Park
3. 180XX Hunt Club Dr W, Mokena, IL 60448 . Service Level = 126.3
Nearest course is Haine's Wayside Park
4. 169XX M 96, Ross, MI 49012 . Service Level = 122.7
Nearest course is Fort Custer Rec. Area DGC
5. 54XX Burgis Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49508 . Service Level = 121.7
Nearest course is Jaycee Park
6. 74XX Flint Dr, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 . Service Level = 119.8
Nearest course is Dretzka Park
7. 39XX Cornerwood Ln, Charlotte, NC 28211 . Service Level = 119.8
Nearest course is Renaissance Park
8. 37XX Madison Ave, Kansas City, MO 64111 . Service Level = 115.8
Nearest course is Rosedale Park
9. 31st St. & 21st Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201 . Service Level = 115.6
Nearest course is Longview Park
10. 47XX Indian Trail Rd, Northampton, PA 18067 . Service Level = 115.1
Nearest course is Neff's Valley

 

[optidiscic]

this is creepy...someone in a house somewhere in Michigan has no idea disc golfers are hard up for their house

 

[Peterb]

Factor in the climate, and all of the upper midwest goes bye bye.

 

[kcplease]

KCMO. See you all at Rosie.

 

[SmoothSailor]

this is creepy...someone in a house somewhere in Michigan has no idea disc golfers are hard up for their house

that's EXACTLY what I was thinking when I got into the list lol.

 

[1Roy]

I assume purple mean empty of courses? There's more purple out there then I expected.

Cool map, thanks for sharing.

 

[vonDrehle]

Shame there aren't any big blobs in WY the scenery is very beautiful.

As for the address in Charlotte I would rather live closer to Hornets Nest . Though not that big of a difference.

 

[DSCJNKY]

Nice Map. But you would have to think that year round disc golf "serviceability" would win out over half-year disc golf "serviceability". So... Charlotte should have been number 1.
DSCJNKY

 

[TheWCG]

Thats kinda crazy?!? There are a LOT of disc golfers where I live and where I play regularly. I never knew it was to that level.....? Go to Michigan or Wisconsin IMO...

 

[bcr123psu]

Despite the snow and cold, crappy weather, people play in the Northeast all year long.

 

[BennettUA]

Nice Map. But you would have to think that year round disc golf "serviceability" would win out over half-year disc golf "serviceability". So... Charlotte should have been number 1.
DSCJNKY

+1.
There is no winter down time for discing in the Carolinas. When it does snow here, the first thing I do(since almost every snowfall means no one goes to work) is go throw.

 

[wolito]

Man that is a cool map. North central US looks like the palce to be, but as someone mentioned, weather can throw a wrench into course playability.

 

[1Roy]

You guys know its possible to play in the snow, right?

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

This thread is all wrong.

A. Play in the snow you wimps!

B. The best place to live is in a van that can be anywhere, at whatever course you want, whenever you want. (Some limitations apply)

 

[Steve West]

Nice Map. But you would have to think that year round disc golf "serviceability" would win out over half-year disc golf "serviceability". So... Charlotte should have been number 1.
DSCJNKY

You are correct, but it's not as drastic as you think. It's actually 7.8 months of "serviceability" for Charlotte, vs. 6.3 months for St. Paul (the worst weather on the list).

There are months in Charlotte that are hot enough to reduce disc golfer activity.

# 1 136.8 x 6.6 / 12 = 74.9 --> # 2
# 2 127.5 x 6.3 / 12 = 66.4 --> # 9
# 3 126.3 x 6.8 / 12 = 71.6 --> # 3
# 4 122.7 x 6.8 / 12 = 69.6 --> # 6
# 5 121.7 x 6.9 / 12 = 69.7 --> # 5
# 6 119.8 x 6.8 / 12 = 67.6 --> # 8
# 7 119.8 x 7.8 / 12 = 77.6 --> # 1
# 8 115.8 x 7.2 / 12 = 69.8 --> # 4
# 9 115.6 x 6.8 / 12 = 65.4 --> #10
#10 115.1 x 7.1 / 12 = 68.5 --> # 7

 

[Greg Layton]

I'm moving from #5 to #8. I win.

 

[Steve West]

Also, if "months of servicability" is taken into account, La Mirada, California moves up from 29th to 3rd, and Bowling Green moves up from 12th to 5th. Knocking St. Paul, Minnesota and Rock Island, Illinois out of the top ten.

 

[smyith]

this would be a great website to factor in climate into those charts. awesome info tho.

http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/

 

[Travis1010]

Pretty cool. Good to know I live in the top ten!

 

[DavidSauls]

Very, very cool map. Thanks, Steve.

The weather is pretty subjective. What's too hot the Carolinas? Too cold in Minnesota? Answers different depending on where you are---I'd set the threshholds at 105F and 25F, but my recent Gopher State visitor seemed to feel differently. And how do you factor in precipitation? I'll be Tucson gets fewer washouts.

On the other hand, the number of baskets is not very subjective. All baskets and courses aren't created equal. Not to mention the diminishing value as you reach large numbers in a given area.

I'd love to see someone with plenty of time---Steve? STeve?---compile a weighted map, based on course ratings and distances from a location. Yes, I know the course ratings aren't completely objective or reliable, but they're the best gauge of quality at hand. So a 4.0 course has a higher value than a 2.0 (probably more than double, at that), and a course 10 miles away a higher value than one 30 miles away, and see what comes of that. Those factors would be subjective, of course, but it would be interesting. To me, anyway.