287 courses in Wisconsin

[wellsbranch250]

287, How in the heck does Wisconsin have 287 courses?

Being originally from Wisconsin and now living in Florida I find it unbelievable that states of the equal land size and with Wisconsin being nearly a quarter of the population, that there'd be more than twice as many courses in Wisconsin over Florida. (Florida has 131 courses according to DGCR).

here's a fun DGCR stat
City name - courses within, 50 miles, 100 miles
Madison, Wisconsin 56, 230
Tampa, Florida 27, 54

 

[scarpfish]

It's not just Wisconsin. All of Wisconsin's neighbors have similar totals.

The big secret is that disc golf is a cheap sport that requires a lot of land. When land is cheap and park space is plentiful like it is in the Midwest, courses multiply. Where it is expensive, and park space is scarce, like FL or CA, not as much.

 

[wellsbranch250]

There's cheap land all over central and north Florida (15 miles from water) and south Georgia, let the little towns aren't putting them in like the Midwest is.

 

[Stardoggy]

Umm because WI is awesome? Duh.

 

[scarpfish]

There's also the proximity effect. If there's a disc golf course in a neighboring town, people will more likely to be exposed to disc golf and will want one for their town. If there isn't, the thought may never cross their mind. Courses tend to multiply fastest where courses already exist.

 

[wellsbranch250]

I definitely agree with that. there's an area between Tampa and Orlando (approximately Lakeland Florida) where there's a couple hundred thousand people, and not a course in a 25 mile radius. Just need that first one.

There's also the proximity effect. If there's a disc golf course in a neighboring town, people will more likely to be exposed to disc golf and will want one for their town. If there isn't, the thought may never cross their mind. Courses tend to multiply fastest where courses already exist.

 

[roggenb3]

Well WI is awesome, and that's a factor here, the disparity is more due to FL being terrible.

I wonder where WI course number 300 will be...

On dgcr, that is, with unlisted courses im sure theres over 300 already.

 

[ohtobediscing]

Remember, too, that FL is Snowbird Retirement Central. Bluehairs prefer tea, shortbread and gossip, while their husbands shmooze at the clubhouse with the self-overrated local golf pros.
As for WI, there'd be a lot more daydrunks and back-40 extraspecies affairs without something cheap to do.

But I have noticed the if-you-build-it-they-will-come momentum of courses. On coastal MS they've had one civic-supported course in a 50-mile stretch for 5 years, but by next year there'll be four. :thmbup:

 

[Cgkdisc]

It's not just Florida affected by this geographical issue but large cities on coasts typically have fewer courses than equivalent inland metro areas because more usable property has been available in the suburbs expanding all directions away from the center city. That watery coast reduces the potential suburban area radiating outward maybe 35-45%. Take a look at the inland plains metro corridor along I-35 with the well known DG areas in the Twin Cities, Des Moines, Kansas City and DFW ringed with suburban courses. Check it out and you'll see large metros hugging the east, west and gulf coasts generally have fewer courses than their equivalent inland brothers.

 

[Consult20]

It's not just Florida affected by this geographical issue but large cities on coasts typically have fewer courses than equivalent inland metro areas because more usable property has been available in the suburbs expanding all directions away from the center city. That watery coast reduces the potential suburban area radiating outward maybe 35-45%. Take a look at the inland plains metro corridor along I-35 with the well known DG areas in the Twin Cities, Des Moines, Kansas City and DFW ringed with suburban courses. Check it out and you'll see large metros hugging the east, west and gulf coasts generally have fewer courses than their equivalent inland brothers.

Well Wisconsin is on the coasts of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior so there's that...

 

[Cgkdisc]

Well Wisconsin is on the coasts of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior so there's that...

No major metro on Lake Superior with the Green Bay and Madison areas more inland than Milwaukee and more courses ringing them. But I'm also not making the argument that coastline is the only reason for fewer courses in Florida, just one contributory factor. You don't see our major coastal metro areas in the discussion as disc golf meccas. Can you think of one?

 

[Noill]

Florida has alligators...

I once threw a disc in a pond and went after it... when I told the locals of this, they all said the same thing...

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!"

heh... I didn't consider being eaten on a disc golf course...

 

[DiscinFiend]

There's not much to do here in WI. I'm glad we have so many courses. There's got to be many more fun things to do in other states like Florida. All we have is drinking & the Packers. The Brewers & Bucks suck. Plus unlike warmer states we have to play disc golf in the snow.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

It's not just Wisconsin. All of Wisconsin's neighbors have similar totals.

The big secret is that disc golf is a cheap sport that requires a lot of land. When land is cheap and park space is plentiful like it is in the Midwest, courses multiply. Where it is expensive, and park space is scarce, like FL or CA, not as much.

No doubt. Their are hot pockets of dg in the midwest. Illinois, Kansas, Michigan to name a few.

Places like cali and flordia. So many other competing recreational activities. So when you wake up on the warm coast line areas its like do I want to skateboard, surf, fish, hike, etc..

While dg may be on the list its merely an option among many competing activities.

When your in the flatlands dg tends to make it higher on the list thats all. Coupled with more land space.....cause people generally choose to live in warmer places near the coast.. most parks, landowners, etc.. can dedicate land geared towards cheap recreational activities like dg.

 

[Stardoggy]

No major metro on Lake Superior with the Green Bay and Madison areas more inland than Milwaukee and more courses ringing them. But I'm also not making the argument that coastline is the only reason for fewer courses in Florida, just one contributory factor. You don't see our major coastal metro areas in the discussion as disc golf meccas. Can you think of one?

Ummm Green Bay is inland? Green BAY??

 

[MarkDSM]

Wisconsin has some pretty cool geology.

Google up Wisconsin bedrock map. .. Wisconsin rock outcroppings is cool too

Fun fact, lead mining was a huge industry in Southwest Wisconsin.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Ummm Green Bay is inland? Green BAY??

Yep. Look at the map and you can see the bay doesn't take up as much of the Green Bay radius as the coast of Lake Michigan takes away from the Milwaukee radius plus that Green Bay area extends further inland to Appleton and even to Manitowoc.

 

[Donkey_Kicked]

Wisconsin has some pretty cool geology.

Google up Wisconsin bedrock map. .. Wisconsin rock outcroppings is cool too

Fun fact, lead mining was a huge industry in Southwest Wisconsin.

Ha this is perfectly timed, I'm taking courses on Wisconsin history and geography at the university of Oshkosh

 

[Stardoggy]

Yep. Look at the map and you can see the bay doesn't take up as much of the Green Bay radius as the coast of Lake Michigan takes away from the Milwaukee radius plus that Green Bay area extends further inland to Appleton and even to Manitowoc.

Whatever you say, Chuck. You say a lot of smart things on these forums, but that's just flat out dumb. The city of Green Bay wraps right around the bottom of the bay.

Feel free to put whatever stupid disclaimers you want on it, but you're just wrong.

What's next...Omaha has a wonderful coastline?

 

[Cgkdisc]

Whatever you say, Chuck. You say a lot of smart things on these forums, but that's just flat out dumb. The city of Green Bay wraps right around the bottom of the bay.

Feel free to put whatever stupid disclaimers you want on it, but you're just wrong.

What's next...Omaha has a wonderful coastline?

Sorry doggy. Look at the map. The bay is less than 20% of the overall radius diagonally between Hwy 41 north and 57 east. Milwaukee roughly 50%.