Do Private Courses Get Rated Higher?

[Stud Muffin]

Like I said, it's obvious that you rely on the social aspect to differentiate between courses. I certainly enjoy the social aspect of disc golf, but it has no bearing on my reviews, and that's true of all the better reviewers on this site I've read multiple reviews from.

I find your statement completely unconvincing. There is honor among 'friends', but not strangers. Saying 'oh we hanged out and played a round, but it doesn't effect my rating...'

...yea, right. :thmbdown:
Tell that to someone who was born yesterday.

 

[Menacewarf]

But it still has a face, just they are multiple.
But when you play courses faceless, then it all just blurs together, kind of like a KFC bowl. It all tastes the same.

I agree good partnerships in ownership can work amazingly. It is the bad partnerships you have to look out for.

 

[Menacewarf]

I find your statement completely unconvincing. There is honor among 'friends', but not strangers. Saying 'oh we hanged out and played a round, but it doesn't effect my rating...'

...yea, right. :thmbdown:
Tell that to someone who was born yesterday.

maYbe you just have more bias?

 

[bholy08]

This thread has taken an interesting twist

Sorry Stud Muffin but I think it is possible to be objective in your ratings and not take the social aspect into account. The social aspect adds a lot to a day of golf but does not change how I view the course. That being said, a course that has a lot of interaction, input and work put into by locals is evident to me. I will give a better rating to a "faceless" course that has that because that course does have a face.

 

[Stud Muffin]

maYbe you just have more bias?

Or maybe I already have empirical evidence that someone is biased, so telling me different is moot.

 

[tallpaul]

Every public course also has a face. I know just as many people who are responsible for the upkeep of public courses; whether these be club peeps; city peeps; park worker peeps; each and every course has a face and I know someone heavily involved in many, many of the courses I've played. In fact, it's been a personal mission of mine; for more than 20 years to meet someone important to a course. Single, private owners often get less bent than others who somehow feel more entitled. I don't often list any info about these people unless it's positive.... never, if it's negative. And, very rarely, does that individual, negative aspect influence the rating.

 

[Stud Muffin]

This thread has taken an interesting twist

Sorry Stud Muffin but I think it is possible to be objective in your ratings and not take the social aspect into account. The social aspect adds a lot to a day of golf but does not change how I view the course. That being said, a course that has a lot of interaction, input and work put into by locals is evident to me. I will give a better rating to a "faceless" course that has that because that course does have a face.

It's not the 'social'. It is the information.
Take away the tradition, the legends who played there, the magic of Augusta, and the Masters is just another tournament. (of bolf)

There is a saying, 'Until you know someone's story, you will never know their glory."

The same is true for disc golf courses. There is so much behind them, and thinking you can just play a round rate them, be 'unbiased', while going to another course, knowing it's rich history, why that is just nutty.


My end point is, if a course, public or private, has a rep, let them rep before you rate. It is only fair. It is not about playing a round, it is not about being social, a disc golf course is not just chains and tee pads, it is a part of the community.

Or, let me put it this way, after 9/11 and the tragedy that it was, how well did you like the Louisiana politician calling ground zero a 'hole in the ground'. After all, if you didn't know what had happened there, that is all you would have thought it to be.

get it?

 

[Connor Jones]

I think what we're all trying to say here is, I am the best reviewer ever and everyone loves me, right?

 

[BrotherDave]

Stud is huffing some good fumes tonight.

 

[bholy08]

I have never even heard of a public course having a rep. And I usually play courses alone, and have never had a tour or guide on a course, even private ones. So I can't relate to your comments.

 

[bholy08]

I think what we're all trying to say here is, I am the best reviewer ever and everyone loves me, right?

You are biased too!

*cough...flyboy...cough*

 

[Connor Jones]

You are biased too!

*cough...flyboy...cough*

I wouldn't call my love for flyboy biased, yeah I have a great relationship with the owner, but that course is a five to me, maybe it's not to you,and that's totally cool, but it is what I would envision perfect golf to be like.

 

[Jukeshoe]

*types a long post*

*doesn't make any sense*

*is Stud Muffin*

lulz

 

[bholy08]

I wouldn't call my love for flyboy biased, yeah I have a great relationship with the owner, but that course is a five to me, maybe it's not to you,and that's totally cool, but it is what I would envision perfect golf to be like.

haha just messing with you man, never played it but I imagine it would be a 5 for me too! Love every course I've played in GA and my wife is from there so maybe I am biased too

 

[Connor Jones]

Also, I gave it a five the first time I played it, before it was escort only and I hadn't met Kelly.

It just so happens he is an awesome dude.

 

[Ryan P.]

Studs is trollin'

 

[Menacewarf]

It's important Ryan, to implement on ones self a two reply cap.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I still say (assuming all other things are equal), private courses (at least the ones I've played) tend to have little touches, personality, unique hole treatments, and other things of that nature, that help set them apart and set a tone or vibe that often permeates the entire course.

Maybe you'll recognize some of these: in-ground basket, basket on a tree, THINK, a shed you sign your name on, paths cut into the tall grass to help find discs that didn't hold the fairway, neat rock sculptures in the fairway, paintball obstacles you need to avoid from the tee (not to mention unpopped paintballs popping underfoot as you walk the fairway), hanging baskets, baskets perched atop monster boulders, homemade split log steps to get up and down hills, etc.

Novelty and creativity alone don't make a course great - you gotta start with solid design, great shot variety and wonderful disc play or all the little touches don't mean squat. I'm not saying you never see this type of stuff on public courses, but you nearly always find them on private courses. They help holes stand out, they provide flavor, texture and personality. In short, they help make the experience memorable.
They make Very Good courses Excellent, and Excellent courses Phenomenal (i.e. they bump the rating a 1/2 disc or so).

Most private courses also get less traffic, so there's a certain sense of exclusivity that comes with playing them.

 

[Stud Muffin]

I have never even heard of a public course having a rep. And I usually play courses alone, and have never had a tour or guide on a course, even private ones. So I can't relate to your comments.

You are biased too!

*cough...flyboy...cough*

Even though I never got to play flyboy, all you have to do is read all the Flyboy reviews to see how much the service meant. Service means a lot.

I understand that some people rather go to a course, walk through 18, then type up a big review without speaking to anyone about the course, making mechanical, soulless reviews. On a lot of courses, you have no choice, they are soulless, no one cares, people do not care if you are new to the course, they do not care if you are lost, or have trouble finding the next tee, they do not care if garbage is everywhere. A lot of places, people could just care less.

So when you go to a course where people do care, do take care of things, go out of their way to help, etc. it should be respected, not written off as irrelevant.

 

[Dave242]

That seems pretty hit or miss to me. If 99% of everyone on a course is either a jerk or unengaged with other players, then you happen upon the friendly 1% that notice you are new and make you feel super welcome.....how is that objective? You would feel strongly that you know what you know from your wonderful experience, but what is the meaning of that for the readers of your reviews/ratings?