disc golf and vacation destinations

[txmxer]

So we know that we have course baggers that travel to play DG and bag as many courses as possible.

Of course, many of us have families that may or may not be in to DG, so a vacation destination may not include much opportunity to sneak in 18 on a great course.

When I'm thinking about destinations, I'm thinking about places people take their families for an experience. Beaches, cities, foreign countries, mountains, etc. For US destinations, it doesn't seem too hard to find a course to play, but I'm not sure this is true outside of the US.

A lot of this comes from my work trip to Puerto Rico and not a single DG course on the island. I'd guess this is similar throughout the Caribbean. PR would be an amazing destination IMO. Weather is generally very good throughout the year. They have amazing beaches/diving/fishing, mountains, national park and rainforest. It's an island that's 100 miles by 35 miles, so everything is reachable within a few hours drive.

I guess it's just a dream I have. I wonder if a couple of world class DG courses in a place like PR would be an actual draw because it would be also have all the other amenities that families would look for on a vacation? And would it be a draw for professional events as well?

 

[lee76007]

The Almendros DGC is located on the resort island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Up until about 20 years ago it was used for live firing exercises for the Navy. If I was to vacation there, I think while playing I would wear a t-shirt with "Navy Explosive Ordinance Technician" and just tell others I'm also looking for unaccounted ordinances on the course.

 

[txmxer]

The Almendros DGC is located on the resort island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Up until about 20 years ago it was used for live firing exercises for the Navy. If I was to vacation there, I think while playing I would wear a t-shirt with "Navy Explosive Ordinance Technician" and just tell others I'm also looking for unaccounted ordinances on the course.

How did you know about that course? I had asked if anyone was aware of any courses and done some searches.

At least now I have a destination for my next visit!

 

[lee76007]

How did you know about that course? I had asked if anyone was aware of any courses and done some searches.

At least now I have a destination for my next visit!

It's on UDisc. From what I've heard one of the better places to vacation in Puerto Rico, just watch where you step.

 

[txmxer]

It's on UDisc. From what I've heard one of the better places to vacation in Puerto Rico, just watch where you step.

I had to do a field survey at a chemical munitions depot in Arkansas years ago. A location in which munitions were manufactured and stored decades ago and today they are demolished. Don't get off the indicated walking paths. Don't touch anything, particularly if it is wet—just don't touch anything.

Not a warm fuzzy place.

 

[lee76007]

I've worked with enough that stuff to know those places can be scary. If someone is willing to put a disc course on a previous firing range, maybe they would put one on that chemical dump in Arkansas.

 

[DeanMoriarty]

You could check out that new course Paul McBeth helped build in Baha California part of Mexico.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3001

 

[txmxer]

I've worked with enough that stuff to know those places can be scary. If someone is willing to put a disc course on a previous firing range, maybe they would put one on that chemical dump in Arkansas.

Spent two years working in a refinery with a chemical plant adjacent. Not one of my favorite environments.

 

[pmay5]

When I'm thinking about destinations, I'm thinking about places people take their families for an experience. Beaches, cities, foreign countries, mountains, etc. For US destinations, it doesn't seem too hard to find a course to play, but I'm not sure this is true outside of the US.

Glad you asked! I've been meaning to write this for the North Carolina Beaches for a while now. For many years, there were just a few course near our beaches and only one really good course. But that has changed in the last couple of years - going north to south, by beach area:

Outer Banks - Casey R. Logan in Kill Devil Hills is a solid 3.5 with great support, multiple tees and baskets. Also nearby, the mostly open Currituck County Rec Ctr and the beginner/family friendly Ace Run. 3 other courses a short drive inland.

Crystal Coast (Morehead City) - 4 decent beginner courses nearby, the mostly open Eastern Park and a short drive to the very good Northeast Creek in Jacksonville. A little further drive to New Bern and you will find another very good course in Glenburnie and Creekside.

Wrightsville Beach (Wilmington) - one of the best courses in the state in Castle Hayne, also good courses in Arrowhead, Joe Eakes and Cougar Country. Plus beginner friendly courses in Leland Municipal and Trinity (which is located at their Brewery).

So, sell your wife and kids on the great beaches, seafood and historical sites here, then have plenty of courses to play at just about any beach! :thmbup:

 

[txmxer]

Glad you asked! I've been meaning to write this for the North Carolina Beaches for a while now. For many years, there were just a few course near our beaches and only one really good course. But that has changed in the last couple of years - going north to south, by beach area:

Outer Banks - Casey R. Logan in Kill Devil Hills is a solid 3.5 with great support, multiple tees and baskets. Also nearby, the mostly open Currituck County Rec Ctr and the beginner/family friendly Ace Run. 3 other courses a short drive inland.

Crystal Coast (Morehead City) - 4 decent beginner courses nearby, the mostly open Eastern Park and a short drive to the very good Northeast Creek in Jacksonville. A little further drive to New Bern and you will find another very good course in Glenburnie and Creekside.

Wrightsville Beach (Wilmington) - one of the best courses in the state in Castle Hayne, also good courses in Arrowhead, Joe Eakes and Cougar Country. Plus beginner friendly courses in Leland Municipal and Trinity (which is located at their Brewery).

So, sell your wife and kids on the great beaches, seafood and historical sites here, then have plenty of courses to play at just about any beach! :thmbup:

My sister and her husband retired to Wilmington, and then my Mom moved to Wilmington, so I've got family I want to see in the area. Sounds like I need to plan to bring discs (which I would anyway), but now I have some recommendations, thanks!

 

[Tinkles]

Smugglers notch has some family stuff and is also near lake Champlain. Vermont is nice in general. I want to go to that Thai island they do that Samui tournament at.

 

[lee76007]

Glad you asked! I've been meaning to write this for the North Carolina Beaches for a while now. For many years, there were just a few course near our beaches and only one really good course. But that has changed in the last couple of years - going north to south, by beach area:

Outer Banks - Casey R. Logan in Kill Devil Hills is a solid 3.5 with great support, multiple tees and baskets. Also nearby, the mostly open Currituck County Rec Ctr and the beginner/family friendly Ace Run. 3 other courses a short drive inland.

Crystal Coast (Morehead City) - 4 decent beginner courses nearby, the mostly open Eastern Park and a short drive to the very good Northeast Creek in Jacksonville. A little further drive to New Bern and you will find another very good course in Glenburnie and Creekside.

I love playing Casey Logan! I've made 5 trips there in two years, most recently last month, going back soon. Amazing what the club has done to the course. The shorts look the same except now all paver tees. The longs have been transformed adding long tee pads, and long baskets on just about all the holes stretching out the majority of the longs adding par 5's. Footbridges and distance markers have been added. I have the course at a 4.0 and a favorite. Currituck now has all rubber mats. Going to check out Frisco Disc to the south at Hatteras to see if it's as wacky as UDisc makes it out to be.

I was at Glenburnie this morning, love that course. Elevated tees flying past Spanish moss along the river. Creekside has added long tees with concrete, looks like some realignment, and the B9 is tight. I just updated the course.

 

[NathanNoodleArm]

When I'm thinking about destinations, I'm thinking about places people take their families for an experience. Beaches, cities, foreign countries, mountains, etc. For US destinations, it doesn't seem too hard to find a course to play, but I'm not sure this is true outside of the US.

My wife and I just got back from Hawaii. I recommend it. It wouldn't be a terrible flight from Texas either. Closer for you than Puerto Rico I would guess? We connected thru DFW.

We have also been to Stockholm. One of my favorite trips ever. Jarva is a world class course and it's a subway ride from the center of Stockholm.

 

[txmxer]

My wife and I just got back from Hawaii. I recommend it. It wouldn't be a terrible flight from Texas either. Closer for you than Puerto Rico I would guess? We connected thru DFW.

We have also been to Stockholm. One of my favorite trips ever. Jarva is a world class course and it's a subway ride from the center of Stockholm.

I was thinking more about a new development. PR is not a really long trip for the eastern half of the US. Couple hours east of Florida. A week there would be significantly cheaper than a week in Hawaii.

BUT, I would love to vacation in Hawaii as well.

 

[jeffmonty]

I had to do a field survey at a chemical munitions depot in Arkansas years ago. A location in which munitions were manufactured and stored decades ago and today they are demolished. Don't get off the indicated walking paths. Don't touch anything, particularly if it is wet—just don't touch anything.

Not a warm fuzzy place.

In the spirit of this thread, our area (Kitsap County) made #10 in the Udisc top 10 DG destinations (I know, it's Udisc :|). We've had way more rain than usual since Oct., so I don't recommend coming here from mid-October to mid- May.

But also, talking about courses where munitions were stored, I wanted to mention our busiest course, N.A.D. Park (short for Naval Ammunition Depot)https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=107, had to close down for a month back in I think 2005, when someone found some sort of ammunition/explosives on the property.

They had to completely go through and try to make sure there was nothing else left out there. The course was fairly new so it really wasn't broken in yet. When they got done, a lot of the undergrowth was gone so it made lost discs less of a thing anymore. Far as I know, nothing else has been found since.

 

[DavidSauls]

To the specifics of the thread, I don't see disc golf in a resort being a particular draw. It might be a bonus for a disc golfer who is otherwise going there, but I can't imagine many people choosing a resort vacation based on it. Orlando, Florida has some very good disc golf, and I've played there as a break while on vacation, but it wasn't what drew me.

 

[thrembo]

To the specifics of the thread, I don't see disc golf in a resort being a particular draw. It might be a bonus for a disc golfer who is otherwise going there, but I can't imagine many people choosing a resort vacation based on it. Orlando, Florida has some very good disc golf, and I've played there as a break while on vacation, but it wasn't what drew me.

We have even better courses now. Lake County has the highest rated course ln Florida now and the county also has several courses on the top 25FL list and one of the highest rated 9 hole courses in the world. They are close enough to Orlando to be easily played if there on vacation.

 

[DavidSauls]

We have even better courses now. Lake County has the highest rated course ln Florida now and the county also has several courses on the top 25FL list and one of the highest rated 9 hole courses in the world. They are close enough to Orlando to be easily played if there on vacation.

In the commotion of a week at Disney, a morning at an empty Turkey Lake was a wonderful respite.

 

[pmay5]

In the commotion of a week at Disney, a morning at an empty Turkey Lake was a wonderful respite.

Couldn't agree more.
My main Con against Bill Frederick Park (on Turkey Lake) was the large, metal gates did not open until 8:00. :thmbdown: If I could have gotten in sooner, I could have played both courses (at the time) instead of just one, before catching our flight home.

 

[txmxer]

To the specifics of the thread, I don't see disc golf in a resort being a particular draw. It might be a bonus for a disc golfer who is otherwise going there, but I can't imagine many people choosing a resort vacation based on it. Orlando, Florida has some very good disc golf, and I've played there as a break while on vacation, but it wasn't what drew me.

that's fair.