Course Designers - Their Top 10 Sites

[sisyphus]

Not trying to derail the thread further, but rather to encourage folks to reach out and continue to make DGCR the most useful and informative site in the DG world...

I feel a little guilty about doing this, but having noted the lack of course designer info for several of the neglected little niners around Cincinnati, I asked many of my local acquaintances, and nobody knew for sure who designed, installed, or was even involved in some of them, so I entered the course designer here as Alan Smithee.

It finally caught the attention of friend and local legend Pete Caldwell, who asked me to make several corrections. I gladly put in the info he provided.

 

[Luckj]

Not trying to derail the thread further, but rather to encourage folks to reach out and continue to make DGCR the most useful and informative site in the DG world...

I feel a little guilty about doing this, but having noted the lack of course designer info for several of the neglected little niners around Cincinnati, I asked many of my local acquaintances, and nobody knew for sure who designed, installed, or was even involved in some of them, so I entered the course designer here as Alan Smithee.

It finally caught the attention of friend and local legend Pete Caldwell, who asked me to make several corrections. I gladly put in the info he provided.

That reminds me, Craig Getty installed one in the Cincy area in Batesville, Indiana so he's done 12 courses across 3 states. 8 of them are nearly 4/5 or above, so he's likely one that would be worth adding to the database.

 

[johnrhouck]

Houck only has designs in six states? That's surprising

Actually, the number of states is at least 21, and 5 Canadian provinces. Plus a few states where I've just consulted.

 

[johnrhouck]

Forgive me. It's four provinces. Hope be starting in #5, and maybe more in 2022.

 

[BionicRib]

Remember these stats only include a designer's top 10 rated courses. Houck has certainly designed courses in more than 6 states.

Ahhh I misread that.

 

[NDABRUSH]

Houck only has designs in six states? That's surprising

Don't worry, saying that Houck has only designed in 6 different states isn't as bad as the dude that said that John had never played Disc golf before. That was the one that had me spewing coke classic at my laptop. And let's not forget that John Houck has actually designed courses on other planets.

 

[wolfhaley]

Don Hoffman designs a damn good course. I had a hard time finding a complete list of his designed courses, but it appears I've played at least 23 of them. Being from WI, possibly (probably) more.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Don't worry, saying that Houck has only designed in 6 different states isn't as bad as the dude that said that John had never played Disc golf before. That was the one that had me spewing coke classic at my laptop. And let's not forget that John Houck has actually designed courses on other planets.

It's true Houck has never played a rated round before.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Don Hoffman designs a damn good course. I had a hard time finding a complete list of his designed courses, but it appears I've played at least 23 of them. Being from WI, possibly (probably) more.

He's listed 10th on the table in my opening post.

 

[Mando]

I know it would be alot more work, but it would be interesting to see the average course rating for each designer's entire catalog of courses...

 

[NDABRUSH]

It's true Houck has never played a rated round before.

That's not what the guy said. He said that John had never played disc golf before.

 

[Cgkdisc]

That's not what the guy said. He said that John had never played disc golf before.

I know. I was just tossing in my comment because maybe the guy who said John hadn't played might have misinterpreted a post about him not playing a rated round.

 

[wolfhaley]

He's listed 10th on the table in my opening post.

I seen him on there. It was just more of an observation. I had to look him up, and he's got some good one's I didn't even realize he designed.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I know it would be alot more work, but it would be interesting to see the average course rating for each designer's entire catalog of courses...

Interesting? Maybe.
But I'm not sure how useful it would actually be.

Obviously, the designer has a LOT to do with how good of course ends up being. But the property, budget, and other factors can play huge role as well.

I'm sure many good designers have worked on rather uninteresting pieces of property, and/or with limited budgets. In fact, such circumstances may be opportunities for some of their very best work. Outstanding design might only yield a 2.5 -3.0 type of course.

Conversely, some property seems particularly well suited, almost as if you could throw 18 tees and 18 baskets in the air, and end up with a reasonably good course with whatever random locations the landed, particularly if there's a good budget to work with.

The 2nd example might yield the better course, even with a mediocre designer. While superior design might only result in a hallway decent course the first example.

One analogy might be a great running back playing on a team with a lousy line and lousy passing game. Some of their best work might simply be managing to get back to the line of scrimmage.

Vs. an average RB playing behind a dominant line and a good passing game. He might gain more yards and score more TD's (i.e. end up with the better course), even though the the other RB may actually be the more skilled player, but ended up with fewer yards/TD's.


Just food for thought.

 

[rocthecourse]

Terry Miller - https://www.dgcoursereview.com/browse.php?cname=&designer=terry+miller
He has six 18 hole courses, four 9 hole courses, plus four "practice areas" all in Wisconsin.

 

[DavidSauls]

Averages don't tell you much. If someone designs a bunch of great courses, but then goes and designs a dozen elementary school courses that are all 1.5s, his average will drop.

Selecting for Top 10 (or whatever), with an average or the rating of the 10th (or whateverth) course, seems a good way of recognizing what a designer can do, with the right property and opportunity.

My brother and I aren't anywhere near top designers, but we've done 2 courses -- one rated 4.4, the other 1.3. The 4.4 probably tells you a lot more than a 2.9 average would.

 

[NDABRUSH]

I know. I was just tossing in my comment because maybe the guy who said John hadn't played might have misinterpreted a post about him not playing a rated round.

:thmbup:I never have either, because i sucked so much at first. I would go every day after i got out of high school and head straight to highland park in shreveport, when it still had those round concrete trash can looking "frisbee" catchers. they didn't catch squat though, the frisbee would glide right over it I learned with a frisbee, which you flick. So every time I threw the disc it would go about a hundred feet and just curve to the left.I said that I am sticking with the frisbee until one day at clyde fant the wind finally made me say to my friend "can I try that disc one more time"? so the wind did me a solid that day. So learning with a frisbee was a detriment as far as disc golf skills go.

 

[NDABRUSH]

Wow, sorry to go off topic. But i was just course browsing and came across a course that chuck designed in 2008 and has never been reviewed.Antioch Silver Lochs in Antioch IL. only 3 people have it marked as played and one of them is Chuck.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Wow, sorry to go off topic. But i was just course browsing and came across a course that chuck designed in 2008 and has never been reviewed. Antioch Silver Lochs in Antioch IL. only 3 people have it marked as played and one of them is Chuck.

The original course was installed in 2008, fell into disrepair and had poor DGCR reviews. I was hired to do a redesign and upgrade over the past two years. The new layout wasn't playable until a few months ago and the course has a new name. But we left the 2008 date in there to recognize the course's origin.

 

[WD09]

I'm sure many good designers have worked on rather uninteresting pieces of property, and/or with limited budgets. In fact, such circumstances may be opportunities for some of their very best work. Outstanding design might only yield a 2.5 -3.0 type of course...

One analogy might be a great running back playing on a team with a lousy line and lousy passing game. Some of their best work might simply be managing to get back to the line of scrimmage.

Very true. I've played several Houck-designed courses in small community parks or housing subdivision areas that fit this description.

John Houck, the Barry Sanders of course design!