Adding Holes in the Woods

[DiscgolfStu]

I'm looking at adding 9 more holes to an existing course. Pretty heavily wooded area, that I admit I haven't spent much time in. I'm really excited about it, but wondering, when you go into the woods to start the process, what's the first thing you're thinking about? Do you kind of improvise with the lay of the land, or do you go in with an idea of the types of shots you want? Just curious as to how others might approach it and/or any type of wisdom you might be able to share. TIA!

 

[DavidSauls]

Take what the land gives you. You'll end up with better holes.

Two starting tips:

* Distances are a lot shorter than you think, when in the woods. That 350' hole you think you've found, may only be 220'.

* if the underbrush is dense, look up. You can sometimes find the gaps between larger trees, by looking high.

 

[DiscgolfStu]

Good advice, thanks!

 

[DavidSauls]

After that, it probably depends on a lot of the nature of the woods themselves.

Here's a thread that is broader, but touches on some topics of designing in woods:
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91501&highlight=lessons*learned

 

[Jukeshoe]

Take what the land gives you. You'll end up with better holes.

:thmbup:

 

[davetherocketguy]

I've heard from course designers (who seem like they know what they are doing) that one way to design a hole is to figure out where you want your basket first then work your way backwards to a good tee location. Anyone else think of it that way? Having never designed a course I'm wondering...

 

[DavidSauls]

I've heard from course designers (who seem like they know what they are doing) that one way to design a hole is to figure out where you want your basket first then work your way backwards to a good tee location. Anyone else think of it that way? Having never designed a course I'm wondering...

In my limited experience.....we designed some that way, some from the tee, some we found a natural fairway and looked at it forwards and backwards. It's a matter of finding the best uses for the best features.

Working backwards is good, though. Particularly on par-4s and -5s, where you work backwards to a landing area, thinking, "this is where I want to approach the basket from", and then back from that to a tee from which you can hit the landing area. It seems to avoid tweener-distance holes and those Houck "NAG" approaches better, that way.

 

[Cgkdisc]

When you have uniform terrain such as flat with variable or constant wooded density (pine forest), I would do recon in the woods to find and plot on your map any special features you can find such as big rocks, gullies, mounds, sloping ground, interesting trees (twisted, bent, multi-trunked) and get a sense of whether there are many low quality trees that can be cut or high quality trees like oaks and maples you need to work around or use in the design such as a perfect "goal post" gap between two mature trees.

 

[DiscgolfStu]

After that, it probably depends on a lot of the nature of the woods themselves.

Here's a thread that is broader, but touches on some topics of designing in woods:
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91501&highlight=lessons*learned

This thread is great, thanks :thmbup:

 

[DavidSauls]

This thread is great, thanks :thmbup:

Quite welcome.

Pay particular attention to the part about surveyor's tape --- it's almost essential in the woods.

 

[curmudgeonDwindle]

Scout without preconceptions or program, which is another way of saying 'take what the land gives you'. Allow the plot to tell you where all the good holes are (there could be hundreds or even thousands), listen carefully and take good notes. Trust yourself and exercise patience during this phase of your project.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Surveyors tape will save you a lot of walking back and forth.. It's easier to spot and leave some midway.. You can set your lines. I usually take a compass too..

Look at your perimeter of the property first, then squeeze in for your middle holes. Look for natural paths obviously and pecker poles that are easy to remove. The more branches a tree has the more work it is to clean up.

My daddy sez "a tree doesn't take up much space, nor does it make any work while it's still standing" . We put in a hole years ago that never linked up until a later change to the course, it was a good day for nothing until 5yrs later.

FWIW there's a standing rule at my place that you can clear your shot of branches etc before your shot, lots of free work has been done that way haha.

Plot out your prospective routes on a piece of paper but don't be married to the direction to start with. Plot some potential holes then figure out how to link em.

Leave space behind to make them longer when you feel like doing more work. Tee and basket/pin.

A weed eater with a straight shaft and blade capable is a necessity for low scrub. Sharpen both sides of the blade so you can flip it midday when it's dull. Don't use a chainsaw on vine style scrub it will suck your saw in, mind the nose of the saw that's what makes it jump if you catch something.

Pole pruner with a saw.... It's a lot of work cutting dead branches but a small slit on top near tree and then use the hook to pull and snap from the end is a fast way. Unless you have a motorized pruner.

Initially I cut some tiny trees off short (pin height) and just screwed the tin to em. Easy tonals!

Also fwiw I set up mine in 4 and 5 hole segments.. Since it plays around the house, it's like a figure 8.. Seemed weird at first but...

Need more coffee... I will keep thinking though..

 

[DannyS]

One thing to remember is that you can always take a tree out later, but you can't put it back once you take it down. Sort of like undercooking a nice steak. You can always toss it back on the grill if it is too rare, but once you past medium you are screwed. I have an 18 hole course using 5 baskets on my property and 75% of the course is in the woods. If you are not 100% sure the tree should stay or go, leave it up for a while.

 

[Casey 1988]

Use the trees and plants to your advantage if some need to come down due to lack of gaps, look for some trees/plants that are going to come down in 5-10 years anyhow, those that the trees are in the way of other trees or plants cutting off trees/bushes, and those trees and plants that are invasive species like say a Chinese/Siberian Elm almost everywhere or a Russian Olive as some areas with more rain those are Invasive.

 

[DiscgolfStu]

Just stopping in to say thanks for the comments, much appreciated! I've done a walk through now and have a better idea of the land. It's actually two gently sloping ravines on either side of a small creek. I'm aware that the creek bed will flood and should be avoided, but I'm also hopeful to be able to play across it and back (might need a bridge). I'm going to wait a couple of weeks to venture out again, though, as the leaves are falling and it will be much easier to see potential lines at that point.

 

[DiscgolfStu]

Initially I cut some tiny trees off short (pin height) and just screwed the tin to em. Easy tonals!

What do you use for tonals?

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

What do you use for tonals?

Chimney pipe, but get the thicker stuff. The same tin you use for dryer venting or propane B vent, comes in 3 ft long pieces. Depending on thickness of steel it will dent.. But it's cheap and it adds character.

Sometimes comes flat and you stick it togEther so get some metal tapping screws to hold it together at the seam, and if you have red tuck tape you can put stripes on it quickly.

Cortes used old propane tanks, cut the top off and they are sweet too.

 

[DiscgolfStu]

Chimney pipe, but get the thicker stuff. The same tin you use for dryer venting or propane B vent, comes in 3 ft long pieces. Depending on thickness of steel it will dent.. But it's cheap and it adds character.

Sometimes comes flat and you stick it togEther so get some metal tapping screws to hold it together at the seam, and if you have red tuck tape you can put stripes on it quickly.

Cortes used old propane tanks, cut the top off and they are sweet too.

As an aside...I lived in Nanaimo for a couple years back in my early 20s and didnt even know disc golf existed! My dream is to get back there one day and play Pender, Cortes, Bowen and any others. My Dad lives in Penticton now, too, so hitting up any of those courses is on the old bucket list as well.

 

[Casey 1988]

A more permanent cheep tonal style uses the galvanized pole same type used for a Chainlink fence and a 4 I-Bolts on top and bottom with the same length as a disc golf basket inner section for discs to go in would be for 95% of top level baskets. They should be tight to prevent wind from making the sound but not so tight they can't be hit by the pole when hard putting to the tonal as needed.

 

[Golden Tuna]

There is already a lot of good advice in this thread...

I typically start on a computer. Grab an overhead from Google Earth, then layout obvious landmarks (parking lot, bathrooms, shelter, practice basket, etc.) Once you have a conceptual idea in hand, visit the area and validate what you've done, then tweak from there. Generally my tweaks include shifting the box or basket to accommodate natural obstacles.

The computer is really good for getting your start and end point, especially if you're trying to loop back to the parking lot between 9-10. Once onsite, look for the natural lines the property provides. Many times, deer make trails through the woods, that are a good start to a fairway.

In the Midwest, we start by removing honeysuckle, then dead trees. Then, if we have to continue, we do it sparingly. As someone else mentioned, you can't uncut a tree...

Most of the time, you find part of a hole (the tee, the green, or the fairway), then build off what is naturally there. If you have an eye for design, you'll be alright. If you don't have "the eye" get a couple experienced players (10+ years) and ask them to help you lay it out.

Just remember, there are already plenty of bad courses out there. So, make a good one!