DiscGolfPark USA

[Consult20]

For those asking about how the pads are installed, etc. Here's a link with installation instructions:

http://www.discgolfpark.net/discgolfpark/installation-instructions/

The tee pad installation instructions need to be edited for grammatical errors, it comes across as though they were written by someone whose primary language is not english (likely the case). And all the measurements should be listed in both standard and metric figures.

I really like this idea, I even like the idea of installing this type of turf material over the top of existing concrete pads, by adding a wooden frame around the concrete pad for attachment. Should be fairly easy to do, the hard work was already done when the concrete pads were installed.

Concrete is brutal on shoes, as stated earlier. And turf pads look better and should reduce injuries -- ever slipped and fallen on a concrete pad?

 

[Steve West]

You do realize that starting today and going through the end of 2020, that's a course installed every 3.7 days?

If so, one out of about every 4 to 7 new courses will go through discgolfpark. Also, a lot of the courses discgolfpark will put in would have happened anyway. Seems possible.

 

[SpringDgLover]

Apparently places do drop some decent $ for a real designer.

Some do as I stated, the problem is "some" doesn't make money. You need a lot to be profitable. Also it may sound all well and good that a Parks department is wooed by a big company offering to design a world class facility but they would much rather spend the money on Basketball courts, tennis courts, walking trails, soccer fields, cricket fields, outdoor playgrounds and countless other activities before investing in DG. It's a sad but true reality that DG just isn't there yet as a big time draw to parks, it also doesn't help when said DG'ers are throwing heavy, sharp plastic objects at other park constituents, or diving in ponds, or dumping trash. Their are multiple liability issues that make DG a less attractive option for many parks.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Yeah i hear you and dont really disagree even with your previous posts i just happened to find that quote when searching for something else and found it fitting to the discussion.

 

[jeffmonty]

The thing they have going for them is a very refined sales pitch. I have also gone a few years pushing at city board/park board meetings and come up empty, also working for free.

Some cities would rather pay lots of money to a business like this than take the chance giving a large swath of land to some dude that wants to play frisbee and kick everyone out. They don't blink at a $150k playground system, it way more about the sales pitch. If it looks like "Big Business" the cities might take us a bit more seriously, which is awesome.

I agree with this. The DGP Colorado course I mentioned earlier is IMO a good example. Ft. Morgan is a little (>12k pop.) conservative farming town in the middle of nowhere on the Colorado plains that would almost be the last place you would look for an 18 and 27 hole DG course. Surprised the h*** out of me. I don't know how the two were brought together, but obviously the city liked what they saw. Maybe the one-stop-shop idea just appealed to them. It makes sense. And this with already having experience (none bad, far as I know) with others when the first course was installed, back in 2002. I do think a good part of the success might be due to the High Plains Challenge A tier held every year. The town can't ignore a couple hundred people in for the weekend spending money locally.

Id be curious to hear what some of the bigger designers around the US think about it all who have been basically doing this for years now. Why are they not involved? Seems odd.

I did hear that John Bird did feel a bit put off by his involvement (or lack of) in the Colorado course above ^^.

 

[beereakfast]

Emerald Hills is brand new. I don't think many would trade the bay area for many other places. Within easy striking distance we have Golden Gate Park, Stafford Lake, Dela, plus excellent courses in san jose, Napa, Vacaville, and lesser courses sprinkled throughout. Sure it's hard to build courses here, but what we DO have, is excellent.

Had not even heard of Emerald Hills. Thanks!

 

[RobA]

I think in the long run this is great for disc golf as it ups the game and presents options for parks and municipalities to install quality disc golf courses under professional guidance. A couple things that come to mind as a result:

1) Will there be a change in the involvement/willingness of local clubs to design/install/maintain courses free of charge if parks become willing to shell out budget dollars to install new courses?

2) Will DGCR continue to exist in its current form or will it become a vehicle for DiscGolfParks USA?

This will present a change in the disc golf universe and it will be interesting to see what effect the ripples will have.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Emerald Hills is brand new. I don't think many would trade the bay area for many other places. Within easy striking distance we have Golden Gate Park, Stafford Lake, Dela, plus excellent courses in san jose, Napa, Vacaville, and lesser courses sprinkled throughout. Sure it's hard to build courses here, but what we DO have, is excellent.

I have family in the area and your DG scene is downright terrible. Saying easy striking distance is pretty laughable.

 

[Cgkdisc]

What I think will be interesting is the response from other target manufacturers affected by this initiative. Innova sells targets and has various designers out there loyal to them. I wonder what type of arrangement has been made between DiscGolfPark and Innova for this venture.

 

[jeffmonty]

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=7893#

FWIW Chuck, this course has DISCatchers. (maybe that was your point?) nevermind, lol....

 

[beereakfast]

I have family in the area and your DG scene is downright terrible. Saying easy striking distance is pretty laughable.

I do not disagree. You have to be one of the chosen. I am not. There are some great courses, but they are either packed and unplayable or take an hour or two to get to due to traffic. Makes it kinda hard. This spot is still one of the best resources to see what's going on out there!

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Yeah i love the SF area but was shocked how inconvenient it was to play some decent DG. I didnt even play aquatic park it was so windy and busy i thought id kill someone.

 

[Peterb]

Id be curious to hear what some of the bigger designers around the US think about it all who have been basically doing this for years now. Why are they not involved? Seems odd.

I'm not a bigger designer but, the course I just got in the ground I had asked them for a bid. It was competitive but certain things I was a bit wary about. First is that the tees need monthly dumps of sand. And I'm not talking small amounts either. Ideally, a ton of sand per tee per month is required (or at least that's what they told me). So that got me thinking, who's going to be doing the maintenance on this? Since I couldn't have concrete right off the bat, I went with rubber as it requires only annual maintenance.

Secondly, they require their designers to approve a course. Now this may be a great idea for many public parks and such, but for my situation, on a small 9 hole golf course, there really is only one design: go with the golf flow. Within that, there are small tweaks one can make, but I really didn't want to 'pay' for their design consultations since me and another highly qualified course designer were already on that path.

Thirdly, it's not really turnkey. Turnkey to me means that the installation is done end to end by one company and subs. If they actually came in and constructed the tees and got the baskets in, it might make for a more compelling offering.

Lastly, I make maps for a living, so there's no need there. In the end, I was able to shave ~ 5k off their asking by doing much of it myself. That was clearly the kicker and why I decided to not go down the DGP route.

In the end, I totally think what dgp is doing is great. The US needs more awesome courses, and having more of a turnkey solution is going to work in a lot of places. I think competition in the market is a good thing, and hope that it moves disc golf towards having huge events with lots of consumer interest.

 

[beereakfast]

Aquatic park? Don't even get me started... I've quit so many times and gone somewhere else due to the unrelated, non disc golf traffic....It's a good course on a rainy weekday morning. I'd still rather hit Golden Gate Park over that every time if I get the chance, in the same conditions. The courses are great, but the traffic makes it horrible. Stafford lake is the best spot because of that, and it just because it is...

 

[Peterb]

I have family in the area and your DG scene is downright terrible. Saying easy striking distance is pretty laughable.

Terrible? Really? Maybe per capita but most people here have no idea about disc golf. SF is one of the most vibrant dg scenes anywhere. Sure it's crowded, but you're never hurting for a game of dubs.

 

[Matt B.]

Just played the brand new disc golf park in south Carolina and it's awesome! Baskets went in monday, i helped install some of the tee pads last Sunday. One thing i personally like about the pads is that they are more environmentally friendly. They wouldn't be easy to move per se, but it is doable and the land would recover pretty quickly once you pulled it up. Once concrete is poored it's pretty much there forever.

I'm also looking forward to my shoes lasting longer.

I like turf pads and the idea of environmentally friendly disc golf. Concrete is removable, though. Focusing on lessening soil compaction around the teepads, no matter the material, is more important than what the pads are made of.

 

[timg]

The tee pad installation instructions need to be edited for grammatical errors, it comes across as though they were written by someone whose primary language is not english (likely the case). And all the measurements should be listed in both standard and metric figures.

I agree, their material and website needs to be proofread and corrected. I've noticed a ton of errors as well. Some people could be put off by something that reads poorly and the rest of the site is pretty polished.

2) Will DGCR continue to exist in its current form or will it become a vehicle for DiscGolfParks USA?

I'm not sure why you think anything would change on DGCR due to DGP. The site will continue as it always has, DGP courses won't get preferential treatment or anything if that's what you were concerned about.

 

[wims]

What I think will be interesting is the response from other target manufacturers affected by this initiative. Innova sells targets and has various designers out there loyal to them. I wonder what type of arrangement has been made between DiscGolfPark and Innova for this venture.

All the DGP courses I've played have had Innova targets. Not sure about what kind of equipment DGP US is going to use, but in Norway they use Innova

 

[RobA]

...I'm not sure why you think anything would change on DGCR due to DGP. The site will continue as it always has, DGP courses won't get preferential treatment or anything if that's what you were concerned about.

Just call it healthy skepticism earned from years of working in corporate America. Its good to know you won't sell out to the man and this site will stay the same, lol.

 

[Royal Hill]

Two side little things to add to this thread. (don't plan on being a big player in the conversation)

Unintended outcomes: one of which is - if turf, then many users will consider different footwear. Turf shoes, multi stud turf cleats, indoor soccer shoes, or gosh, even molded sport cleats. One poster even hinted they'd consider this.
Turf cleats, indoor soccer shoes - more ground tear up on all the "other shots". Thus magnification of erosion/ground affects. unintended. Solid surface keeps cleats out.

Second - the pitch - yes, it can be very true that the "free course' or the "cheap" "we'll do it for free" is viewed with suspicion. The packaged course as expensive as anything with a glossy brochure is trustworthy.