"Disc Golf Not as Green as it seems"

[Matt B.]

I REALLY wish this site had a longer edit period!

I wanted to add that what "the park is there for" is whatever the controlling authority, official management plan and goals, and the local community says it is there for. Obviously the last part is the part that gets argued about. I don't know the specifics of Pinto Lake's management plan or mission statement but many parks have multiple goals and reasons to be "there for" which often include preserving natural features, certain species, or whatever.

To pretend that because "nature" doesn't pay taxes, preserving things like trees butterflies and plants has no place in park management is very ignorant and IMO a really dumb attitude for disc golf and disc golfers to adopt. But I'm sure Save McLaren park and the people trying to get Pinto pulled will be more than happy to feature this kind of thinking in their efforts to show that disc golf is bad for the environment and disc golfers don't care about course impacts.

Until we get real about the impacts disc golf courses have, we will always be targeted for this kind of thinking. Blanket anti-environmental sentiment is not going to help solve these problems. Argue the specifics, use facts, be reasonable.

 

[Peterb]

yeah newsflash, the anti-disc golf crowd pays taxes too, and they believe that disc golf is a bad use for some parks based upon its impact. They are perfectly entitled to their opinion and until we begin behaving like adults we won't get anywhere with others who have as much a right to public parks as we do.

 

[ru4por]

I had sent an email along to the posted link here or an associated thread and received the following response.

To Whom it May Concern,

I am prompted to contact you to voice my objections to the effort to remove the disc golf course at Pinto Lake. I live in Dearborn Michigan and have taken two trips out to Northern California exclusively to play disc golf. The last trip as recently as last May. The beautiful scenery, friendly people and unique disc golf opportunities were the primary reasons for making the trips to this area, as opposed to the multitude of other options. Quite obviously, while there, we spent considerable money dining, touring the area and generally donating to the local economies of the Pinto Lake and other disc golf communities. In addition to Pinto Lake we also played the Golden Gate Park, Stafford Lake, Napa Skyline, Delevaga and Black Mouse. We dined near each of these courses.

While nearly all disc golfers are aware that the game has environmental impact, it is my concern that the effects of basically hiking, has been exaggerated to imply that the impact is more than it is. The benefits, I am sure you will be presented by my peers, who also enjoy the game, should be considered before any rash decisions on elimination of public health improvement opportunities are made.

Please do not allow any faction, with self serving personal agendas, propagating misinformation, influence your decision to do the right thing by the area population and natural environment.

Thank you for your time and consideration.


I am Supervisor Friend's County Parks Commissioner and Supervisor Friend has forwarded your thoughtful email to me, which I have read. My positive support and enthusiasm for the disc course at Pinto Lake remains consistent.
Please know you can always write directly to me at my personal email:
Kate Minott [email protected]
Best wishes,
Kate Minott

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

I had sent an email along to the posted link here or an associated thread and received the following response.

To Whom it May Concern,

I am prompted to contact you to voice my objections to the effort to remove the disc golf course at Pinto Lake. I live in Dearborn Michigan and have taken two trips out to Northern California exclusively to play disc golf. The last trip as recently as last May. The beautiful scenery, friendly people and unique disc golf opportunities were the primary reasons for making the trips to this area, as opposed to the multitude of other options. Quite obviously, while there, we spent considerable money dining, touring the area and generally donating to the local economies of the Pinto Lake and other disc golf communities. In addition to Pinto Lake we also played the Golden Gate Park, Stafford Lake, Napa Skyline, Delevaga and Black Mouse. We dined near each of these courses.

While nearly all disc golfers are aware that the game has environmental impact, it is my concern that the effects of basically hiking, has been exaggerated to imply that the impact is more than it is. The benefits, I am sure you will be presented by my peers, who also enjoy the game, should be considered before any rash decisions on elimination of public health improvement opportunities are made.

Please do not allow any faction, with self serving personal agendas, propagating misinformation, influence your decision to do the right thing by the area population and natural environment.

Thank you for your time and consideration.


I am Supervisor Friend's County Parks Commissioner and Supervisor Friend has forwarded your thoughtful email to me, which I have read. My positive support and enthusiasm for the disc course at Pinto Lake remains consistent.
Please know you can always write directly to me at my personal email:
Kate Minott [email protected]
Best wishes,
Kate Minott

Awesome! Sounds like their attack on Pinto will probably go no where since the Commissioners are supporting the Course! :thmbup: The Supervisors make these decisions, but this won't be high visibility enough for them to go against the Commissioners advice.

On the other hand, the recon I heard was this NIMBY group "Friends of Anna Jean Cummings (AJC) Park", will win in terms of the kids at Soquel High not building a 9 pin course at AJC park. However, the HS kids have another candidate park now, and it is begging for recreational activities to draw people in.

So the only losers will be the folks that live near AJC park that don't get to enhance their park experience with Disc Golf. Those folks need to talk to their neighbors about them not being such good "Friends".

 

[scarpfish]

I had sent an email along to the posted link here or an associated thread and received the following response.

To Whom it May Concern,

I am prompted to contact you to voice my objections to the effort to remove the disc golf course at Pinto Lake. I live in Dearborn Michigan and have taken two trips out to Northern California exclusively to play disc golf. The last trip as recently as last May. The beautiful scenery, friendly people and unique disc golf opportunities were the primary reasons for making the trips to this area, as opposed to the multitude of other options. Quite obviously, while there, we spent considerable money dining, touring the area and generally donating to the local economies of the Pinto Lake and other disc golf communities. In addition to Pinto Lake we also played the Golden Gate Park, Stafford Lake, Napa Skyline, Delevaga and Black Mouse. We dined near each of these courses.

While nearly all disc golfers are aware that the game has environmental impact, it is my concern that the effects of basically hiking, has been exaggerated to imply that the impact is more than it is. The benefits, I am sure you will be presented by my peers, who also enjoy the game, should be considered before any rash decisions on elimination of public health improvement opportunities are made.

Please do not allow any faction, with self serving personal agendas, propagating misinformation, influence your decision to do the right thing by the area population and natural environment.

Thank you for your time and consideration.


I am Supervisor Friend's County Parks Commissioner and Supervisor Friend has forwarded your thoughtful email to me, which I have read. My positive support and enthusiasm for the disc course at Pinto Lake remains consistent.
Please know you can always write directly to me at my personal email:
Kate Minott [email protected]
Best wishes,
Kate Minott

^
:thmbup: Positive, concise and eloquently written. Awesome job.

This folks, is the sort of writing that gets the attention of the powers that be. All of you signing your name, or asking others to sign your name to some cookie cutter online petition take note.

 

[Matt B.]

^
:thmbup: Positive, concise and eloquently written. Awesome job.

This folks, is the sort of writing that gets the attention of the powers that be. All of you signing your name, or asking others to sign your name to some cookie cutter online petition take note.

Politicians and decision makers generally don't give a crap about online petitions. One good letter or even an email is worth more than 500 online "signatures".

 

[chris deitzel]

I thought he wrote a good letter.

 

[Jashwa]

Although extreme, the gentleman who wrote this opinion piece probably is not the only one with environmental concerns about the park. Perhaps the local club can work to address some of the concerns of the park's non-DG users. Organize a "clean the course day" (make sure that the event is widely advertised and that city officials are invited) or raise funds to plant a tree in a beneficial disc golf location or something along those lines. If the club can show that it too appreciates a clean, safe, and environmentally friendly atmosphere for its course I'm guessing a lot of the concerned park-goers will be supportive.

 

[mubhcaeb78]

Obesity is a greater issue than plant life.

Students enjoy disc golf when introduced it in the schools. We have two schools who started programs recently, and the kids like it.

It makes walking a mile around a course seem like you aren't just walking a mile, and many students who hate laps, and resent pe, are participating.

Having real courses for them to play at will add more activities for them to do rather than stay idle by a tv/computer.

 

[Moify]

Obesity is a greater issue than plant life.

Students enjoy disc golf when introduced it in the schools. We have two schools who started programs recently, and the kids like it.

It makes walking a mile around a course seem like you aren't just walking a mile, and many students who hate laps, and resent pe, are participating.

Having real courses for them to play at will add more activities for them to do rather than stay idle by a tv/computer.

This is literally always the first thing I tell people about disc golf. If you play a long course, you'll probably end up walking at least two miles. And that's not including the additional five miles you walk pacing and looking for discs.

:hfive:

I just like that disc golf is "disguised" exercise. It's not strenuous, and you get in shape playing a full 18!

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

This is literally always the first thing I tell people about disc golf. If you play a long course, you'll probably end up walking at least two miles. And that's not including the additional five miles you walk pacing and looking for discs.

:hfive:

I just like that disc golf is "disguised" exercise. It's not strenuous, and you get in shape playing a full 18!

Some people will jog the whole course while they play. Apparently, they even have some sort of scoring system they compete over that combines the time the course took with the score you got. So you can make it undisguised exercise if you really want to. Or you can stroll through the park, which is a lot better than nothing.

I like to play real fast when I'm solo in the mornings. When no one is on the course, I can play Delaveaga in Santa Cruz, which is ~3.5 miles to walk with a pedometer, 28 or 29 holes, in 1 hour 40 minutes. Not jogging, just playing every shot where it lands, walking fast, having my disc ready for the next shot as soon as I get there, etc. That is definitely good exercise. Even better if you throw a few Discs into a ravine (on purpose of course ).

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

Even though this is a bit off topic I have to make one more point on the exercise aspect here.

It isn't just kids getting unglued from their Xbox that Disc Golf helps, its Middle Age guys like me. I learned that I have to exercise when my body started to fall apart approaching 40. I worked out at a gym for a couple years, but that isn't really fun for me. I'm not rolling out of bed at 6:30 am because I'm really excited to get on a treadmill. Disc Golf provides a great level of base exercise for me that inspires me to get out of bed. Disc Golf will also continue to be accessible in my twighlight years.

Seeing a Grandmaster like Jim Oates sporting a 1012 rating (without a run up I might add). Or guys that have been a part of the sport for forever, like Marty Hapner, Merle Witvoet, or Senior Grandmaster, Tom Schott. These guys have amazing energy and joy for life, and you know part of that is being outside in nature, playing Disc Golf, regularly. :thmbup:

 

[Moify]

This is also very true. I've thought about disc golf's longevity, as well. I know that it's something I'll want to carry on with me as I grow older, and I'm excited about it.

Which is why I'm confused as to why someone would be so against a course going in. It's basically a hiking trail with baskets. Even if locals are walking it at the same time I'm playing, they politely wait for me to throw and walk along with me. Disc golf spans so many generations and is a valuable amenity to any community.

 

[SomeChump]

I didn't see anything inaccurate in the original article. What exactly are people complaining about? As much as I like disc golf, I wouldn't want to live next to a course either.

Disc golf courses are best put in in areas that are otherwise unused. If they are lightly used, they can go in parks. If they're heavily used, it just isn't compatible with anything else.

 

[Moify]

I didn't see anything inaccurate in the original article. What exactly are people complaining about? As much as I like disc golf, I wouldn't want to live next to a course either.

Disc golf courses are best put in in areas that are otherwise unused. If they are lightly used, they can go in parks. If they're heavily used, it just isn't compatible with anything else.

I disagree. I don't know why any disc golfer in their right mind wouldn't want a course next door. Unless you live in a sh*tty area, in which case, crack heads are probably already in the park next to your house.

...and the guy in the original article clearly has a personal agenda, and is against the idea of disc golf. He doesn't have any valid complaints to a disc golf course installation, he's just bent on "protecting" land from hikers and plastic discs.

If there's enough space in a park, put a course in. But people can just walk the course, anyways. Most places I play have families walking the course, and they wait patiently like any other group would for me to play though.

You aren't going to find many spaces that can be dedicated strictly to disc golf, unless it's privately funded. Beggars can't be choosers, and I would rather play a course with others using the park than no course at all.

 

[Moify]

It'd be one thing if a strip club was being built next to your house, but it's only some baskets. People use them to exercise, be social, and have fun.

I think people are upset because this guy has nothing better to complain about than a disc golf course.

 

[scarpfish]

I just like that disc golf is "disguised" exercise. It's not strenuous, and you get in shape playing a full 18!

I like our sport, and while I might admit that its better than sitting on the couch, I would hardly call it "exercise", in the same respect that I would jogging, lifting weights or climbing stairs. I probably get much better "exercise" doing my job than playing disc golf. It certainly has NOT gotten me into shape.

 

[ohtobediscing]

I disagree. I don't know why any disc golfer in their right mind wouldn't want a course next door. Unless you live in a sh*tty area, in which case, crack heads are probably already in the park next to your house.

Anyone would think so, but the guy who lives in the house on the corner at Pier Park is a DGer, and he's unhappy with the constant presence of hordes of DGers on weekday afternoons and all weekend. Which is really ironic, because he certainly was ecstatic enough 9 years ago when the course went in, and the homeless/addicts disappeared from the park.

 

[zenbot]

I would argue that a round at Coyote Point could constitute as exercise.

 

[scarpfish]

I would argue that a round at Coyote Point could constitute as exercise.

Some courses with significant elevation changes would perhaps be the exception. The large majority of the courses in the directory though, not so much. If someone under 50 gets winded playing those, its more a statement of how out of shape they are than how strenuous disc golf is.

We did have a big discussion about this earlier this year...

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79504