College campus courses.

[wolito]

Why do colleges build courses right on campus? Obviously they are trying to reach out to their students as another activity to do, but the location of such courses just leaves me wondering. Such courses are built right on campus where they are just too hazardous for practical use. I just played Arapahoe Community College in Denver Colorado and am just amazed that they put it where they did. Right next to buildings, on top of sidewalks, near picnic tables and parking lots. Such courses are just asking for trouble and some have been pulled because of it. I would rather have a college course off campus instead where it would be safer. What are your thoughts?

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

I would rather have a college course off campus instead where it would be safer.

If it's not on school property, it wouldn't be a college course. Schools like having a variety of activities = they build a course where they can.

 

[petecarp]

Most universities have a limited amount of undeveloped land that would be usable for a 'secluded' disc golf course. From experience I know that this land is some of the most highly coveted at the university often with multiple parties interested in its use. The master planning committee of the university usually has final say because these are the folks who will decide if a new dorm, office, or building of classrooms will eventually end up there. Other interested parties include environmental and biology departments who like to use wooded or natural areas for research plots and studies. But other times the area is simply deemed off limits because there has already been conflicts over its use.

Sometimes courses are put in these undesirable places in the heart of campus because of poor course design or a lack of understanding, which is why its always important to hire an experienced course designer.

My battle for a disc golf course at UNC-Asheville has run into all of these land use issues, and we have been attempting to navigate the bureaucracy for nearly 3 years so we can finish our now 6 hole soon to be 18 hole on campus yet secluded disc golf course.

 

[Brall]

it can be a little wierd to go from throwing in the woods for 3 months then go try a college course and you are weaving in between buildings and over parking lots.

but i don't look a gift horse in the mouth. i'm just happy to have another course to throw at.

and some colleges do a great job, like Hocking College DGC. they did a fantastic job and put a lot of effort into the wooded part of their course.

 

[kpc2004]

i have only played one college campus course, UT Tyler, and they did a good job of keeping it away from traffic areas. it kinda goes around the soccer practice fields and then into the woods. i could see how if a course just stuck one in highly populated areas of campus it could become a problem. at my college, the closest course was accross the street from the intramural fields in a public park that used to be a pecan orchard (hence the name Pecan Park lol). when the pecans fall you had to wait on at least 4 or 5 holes a round for people to stop picking up pecans to throw.

 

[wolito]

^^ UT Tyler did a pretty good job of their course. WHile the front 9 does have a little bit of issues with the soccer fields, it is nothing that a little caution is all the is required while the back 9 is completely isolated. As far as the other posters, I can see how "off" campus land can be at a premium and how many other groups are looking to get their hands on it. I suppose the key here is design. If placed directly on a campus, then great desing is a must for the flow of the course and the safety of those around.

 

[esdubya]

few examples of the good, bad and ugly..

Wivenhoe park at the University of Essex (England) is awesome. This design works with the campus and has been around for a long time.

Lawrence Tech in Southfield, MI is a really fun to play course that sadly probably won't last long.. too many potential conflicts.

Winthrop seems to have worked out ok..

 

[NothinButChing]

Colorado State University baby

 

[CwAlbino]

IHCC

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1381&mode=ci

 

[optidiscic]

Hocking College is really well done and a lot of fun

 

[scarpfish]

I've seen some schools that had plenty of land available in the perimeter of their property for a decent course, I've also seem some of the aforementioned "crammed between buildings" courses. Then there are the unofficial object courses that were designed back in the days before there were real courses to play. Of course, we didn't have bevel edged drivers in urethane heavy premium plastics back then either. Considering the advances in disc technology since their creation, I'm not too crazy about the latter two categories.

One saving grace about these courses I suppose is that the peak disc golf season for most of us is Summer, and the peak days of the week in any season are Saturday and Sunday, precisely the times that the campuses they're on are likely to be a whole lot quieter.

 

[cali]

Nothing better than playing a campus course in the Springtime. So many breezys running around wearing practically nothing :thmbup:

 

[magictenor1]

I just recently played the course at the Univ. of S Alabama and it was very nice. i played on a weekend so not an issue for me but I hear that it is closed on weekdays before 5 which would be a large drawback.

 

[wkelly42]

That's the benefit the designers at Liberty University had -- the school owns 65,000 acres or something like that, and a LOT of it is undeveloped right now. From what I've seen and heard (haven't played it yet), it's an outstanding course that doesn't feel like a college course.

 

[bcr123psu]

My home course, although I don't play it all that much any more, is at DeSales University. Not a terribly difficult course, but it's a nice course for practice. Since it was installed, and subsequently redesigned due to campus construction, it's become a bit of an afterthought in the area. The biggest downside of the course is the proximity to sidewalks and areas of heavy pedestrian traffic. I'm hoping that it could be revitalized and maybe tweaked a bit for some longer, more difficult holes and to improve the safety.

 

[bwiese]

Liberty University has alot of land, but the course designers did have certain areas they had to put the course. They did a good job and in the long run the course should be a great course. Another college in lynchburg that just added a coures is randolph college. It is a putter 9 hole course in and around the buildings. The designer did a great job with the land that was there and created a safe short course students can learn about disc golf on. My dad (age 62) loved the course.

 

[Gonnagal]

Grizzly Oaks is on the campus of Oakland University and it's actually one the better courses around.

 

[humchris85]

Try these two out for how a college course should be done.
The Redwood Curtain (HSU)
College of the Redwoods

 

[Matthew boals]

Purdue University in West Lafayette, In just installed a rather nice 9 hole course,Check out my review!

 

[elevated plastic]

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=4264
brand new college course that just opened 2 weeks ago. The only time students/public is an issue is when you park. Other than that which is so minor anyways, the course plays around the suurounding property on rolling hills. Another great addition to Tahoe area courses. This one on the other hand sounds iffy. http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3837
HSU course is the most epic college course i've played.