DISAPPEARING COURSE

[woodstock]

I am seeking some info and/or ideas on getting some new trees planted on my home course. The Shady Oaks Disc Golf Course in Orangevale, CA is 35 years old and it is showing. It is a great course with a great layout but is VERY BUSY. It has mostly oak trees and a small creek that winds through it; it's flowing about 7 months out the year. Majority of the holes are tunnel shots through these great oaks.

With all the traffic over the years these oaks are getting thinner and thinner. Mostly from stuck discs and the people using anything lying around to get them down. The worst of this is people breaking off lower branches to throw at the disc. And the smaller trees and shrubs have been trampled throughout the years. The course is in a park in the city of Orangevale so i'm definitely going to talk to the Board of Directors of OV about what can be done.

In addition to possibly running a Fund Raising Tournament, I'm wondering if there are Government or State programs that help with this type of thing. If anyone has some ideas or info on what to plant and where to get them I sure would appreciate it. Thanks.................

 

[onemilemore]

You may be able to find a local arborists' club or environmental society that can help with tree planting. Might be something good for an Eagle Scout project, as well.

 

[Royal Hill]

Onemiles got a good idea, as well as having any local Dg club run fundraising and a "green effort" program. If possible to do it nicely, and on your own - the better.

Doing it on your own, or with a third party society could be nice, as I would rather do that than go to the agency that manages the park directly. The managing agency may misinterpret your interest as a alarm call and get reactionary with the ultimate solution to remove the offending dg course.

You know, its the story of best intentions, then it heads up the ladder, and the next thing you know... poof goes the course as word leaked to the (enviro concerned) that "horrendous damage" was being done...

Always remember - anyplace you see a ball field, an aquatic center, a tennis complex, a ball golf course - represents a place where there used to be a forest or native environment.

With disc golf, trees may get stepped on, but the forest gets to stay - and avoided the business end of a bulldozer.

 

[woodstock]

The course already has had some run ins with the neighbors about drinking and thc. But we got together with them and worked something out and had undercovers out there for a while. That helped a lot. But definately something to think about Royal. I definately would not want to make things worse. Scouts are a great idea. They have been out before to install a practice basket. Its the cost that I'm concerned about.

 

[rshrevo]

Scouts is a good idea. you could also check with the local chapter of the Jaycees. they could probably help also with a Community Project. If not they might be able to help the scouts fund and work on the project. Or a combination of the local clubs, Jaycees, and Scouts doing a mass fund raising project to fund the revitalization.

 

[adamtheviking5]

Oh I miss shady. My favorite and used to be my home course before I moved to socal. Its been about a year since I've gotten to play it but I can't remember anywhere that needs to be replanted. Where would you put new trees? Maybe the big tree in front of the box on 1 should come down and be replaced but with the traffic I can't imagine a new tree would have a chance. Where else were you thinking?

 

[woodstock]

Hey Adam, That tree on 1 is almost dust. If it goes down they would hopefully put a totem pole in. But the way they spend money over there it would probably just be a telephone pole or nothing. I would like to see more trees between 4 and 7, 5 and 6 and all along the creek by 8,9 and 10. The back isnt as bad but needs help. You would think the pro shop on the premises would want to keep the course up for there best interest, But that isnt happening. I wonder how much business they would do if is wasnt for the course being there?

 

[Jesterian]

No constructive advice, just gotta say that I love that course! I was there for 2 days this summer and I played like 8-10x through ^_^

 

[topdog]

Woodstock know what you are talking about before talking. Of course the shop wouldnt get no business if it wasnt for the course but they moved the shop there 11 years ago from there other location. There are plenty of trees at O.V. In my 14+ years playing there I have only seen about a hand full of tree come down but that was from wind. The only place i would like to see trees planted is between fairways 1 & 2. Everywhere you said needs trees are where the trees are. Just FYI holes 5 & 6 might not be there much long so looks like you dont need trees there.

 

[woodstock]

I am bagging on the shop a little but I'm not saying anything here that I wouldn't say in front of him. I've talked to the shop so relax.
Just want to make it better. Can't fault me for that.

 

[adamtheviking5]

Wait a minute! 5 and 6 are going away? Why? And says who? And just so everyones clear, its not jims responsibility to maintain the trees but he is a dick.

 

[loki the trickster]

i have not been out to OV in 2 years. so i might be a little lost on what new things have been happening out at the park.

the new tree idea has been bouncing around for some time.
but how do you keep those from being destroyed do you plant totem poles out around them like pen valley?

do you pay people to be course marshals and kick people out for intentionally destroying the trees? and if so where does the money come from???

should the park department make the entire park a pay to park? but then on weekends people will park at the schools that surround the park and just walk in to avoid paying and the problem still wont be solved!

unfortunately the solution is as clear as mud!

 

[Jenga54]

If possible, I may add that finding a course designer in the area may be helpful (maybe even the original designer?). If you have the opportunity to add trees to a course, one tree can really change a hole, but sounds like it's needed. We always have our own ideas about how a hole would be better, but I would at least grab a handful of trusted DGers to decide where to put trees (and what kind!) so you end up with a course that is maybe even more diverse and better, not just harder.

 

[loki the trickster]

If possible, I may add that finding a course designer in the area may be helpful (maybe even the original designer?). If you have the opportunity to add trees to a course, one tree can really change a hole, but sounds like it's needed. We always have our own ideas about how a hole would be better, but I would at least grab a handful of trusted DGers to decide where to put trees (and what kind!) so you end up with a course that is maybe even more diverse and better, not just harder.

jim is the course designer, disc golf shop owners with 2 partners, and the course pro/liaison.

oh and their is a set amount of space that the course can be used. so making some holes bigger would make more holes shorter.

 

[topdog]

There are plenty of trees on the course. The only holes that could use more would be holes 1-3. Yes there is talk of putting in a dog park on hole 5 so we would lose 5 and 6.

 

[loki the trickster]

a dog park?!? i understand the parks logic of placement cause that is the problem area. but that's a walk from any parking spot to get to!

so where would the 2 replacement holes go? or do you not know?

 

[topdog]

Not if they put a parking lot off Oak for it. It has nothing to do with problem area. That area is the most open area. They would go on the other side of the creek around 14 or 15.

 

[humchris85]

The course already has had some run ins with the neighbors about drinking and thc. But we got together with them and worked something out and had undercovers out there for a while.

This is part of the reason that I stoped going there when I visit Sac area.

 

[loki the trickster]

Not if they put a parking lot off Oak for it. It has nothing to do with problem area. That area is the most open area. They would go on the other side of the creek around 14 or 15.

oak??? oak has a parking lot near Casa and the elementary school! and i could have sworn that the east side of the creek was the equestrians and walkers and the DG side was to stay on the west side with exceptions of 4 short and the island on 15.

 

[adamtheviking5]

Who came up with puttimg a dog park in? Those places are disgusting! This is a dg exclusive park so why put in a dog park?