If I'm understanding the flatpad design correctly, no, as it doesn't seem to prevent water from flowing underneath it. It's not channing the water in the same way the side of a concrete pad does.
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Flatpad teepads
- Thread starter Flatpad
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If I'm understanding the flatpad design correctly, no, as it doesn't seem to prevent water from flowing underneath it. It's not channing the water in the same way the side of a concrete pad does.
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Erosion in front of the tea pad can be a real problem on a really popular course. I'm a big fan of placing boards flush to the ground about 2ft out from the tee pad , so that the front of the t-pad is surrounded on three sides, which really helps soil retention as people follow through.
More work up front, but keeps the course playing / looking better for longer, requires less maintenance in terms of filling in the ruts around the tee pad.
On some old and heavily-used courses near me, where the areas in front of the tee eroded and created a drop-off, volunteers boxed in and filled in a few feet in front of the tee, as a run-off area.
Flatpad
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Erosion around a Flatpad is different compared to tee pads installed at ground level. The flatpad is designed in such a way that the thrower stays on the platform after the throw. Because of this, the surroundings of the platform do not wear in the same way due to the overrun of the throw. We get on the platform and do a performance, after which we step off it.
Water can flow through natural routes around the base and also underneath. Water dripping from the edge to the ground causes a little erosion over the years. Here, the drop height is low and thus the impact is small. As a whole, the environmental impact has been tried to be minimized through technical implementation.
Water can flow through natural routes around the base and also underneath. Water dripping from the edge to the ground causes a little erosion over the years. Here, the drop height is low and thus the impact is small. As a whole, the environmental impact has been tried to be minimized through technical implementation.
Flatpad
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You can follow Tyyni tournament 1st round live. You will see Flatpads in action on fairways #14 and #18. https://youtu.be/sFdcm2Ufvb0
In other words, it's designed to allow the water to erode the ground UNDER the pad, and exacerbate rust and corrosion from contact with mineral salts in the ground. :doh:
Here's the thing, though: water flows following the path of least resistance, so uneven wear or even minimally low spots on the surface of Flatpads will channel water on the surface and dripping off the edges more effectively toward those "natural routes" around and UNDER the base, resulting in MORE erosion in and around those areas.
How long is the runout area past the front of the tee box? Unless you're providing enough space both in front of and diagonally off the corners for throwers to follow throughbecause players don't necessarily throw from or follow through perpendicularly to the front of the teepad, e.g., Simon lineswithout having to chop their step or even think about stepping/slipping off the endor edge, e.g., Simon linesof the teepad, the design effectively restricts both the creativity and the effort a player can put into his or her "performance."
Flatpad
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Most of the erosion comes through the feet of the players. Flatpad therefore reduces erosion when the player stays on the platform during performance. Next to the teepads, the environment wears out in any case, regardless of what kind of tee pad it is.
Flatpad partially directs the water through the edges to the ground. Most of it goes directly under the base through the drainage holes. This does not produce the kind of water currents that would lead to major erosion. That's why we talk about natural water routes
Flatpad partially directs the water through the edges to the ground. Most of it goes directly under the base through the drainage holes. This does not produce the kind of water currents that would lead to major erosion. That's why we talk about natural water routes
Flatpad
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As I mentioned before, Flatpad is made of hot-dip galvanized steel. So it won't rust. The same material is also used in the baskets.
dmoore1998
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Only the super large one seems designed for that though. For the smaller ones, it seems no different than a regular teepad. You can tell people "stay on the pad", but if the pad isn't enormous, they probably won't. Doesn't really seem "designed" for them to stay on the pad afterwards except for the largest.
Lol.....staying on the pad seems intuitive. I will never understand the perceived need to take a run up to the very edge, of any pad. I have seen a couple serious injuries and many falls off the front of tee pads. Good grief, just plan to stop your run up a foot or two short of the front edge. That dozen or so inches is NOT the deal breaker, in 99% of players' games.
With that said, it is misrepresenting this product, to say players are any less likely to run or fall off the front edge. A drop off at the front edge of the pad is common, in all tee pad surfaces. They are an increased risk of injury and should be avoided, regardless of material.
dmoore1998
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They're probably less likely to run or fall off the front edge because it is more dangerous to do so than for most permanent pads...but you're right, it's not really a design feature. I get that the very large pad has a line for the end of the "throwing pad" plus another section for the follow-through, which is great...but that doesn't exist on the small pads being sold.
jakebake91
* Ace Member *
Comparison table of different solutions. What do you think about this, is it correctly presenting the differencies?
I don't think your "cost effective" row is labeled correctly. You're saying that since it takes more work to calculate an estimate for the other tee types, they are less cost effective? That's inaccurate.
Also, saying "depends on builder" for a bunch of the squares seems like a total cop out. Sure, you're not wrong, but that seems like an easy way to knock other methods in turn propping up yours. Again, just because it might be more difficult doesn't make it worse.
Thirdly. "Designed to standards". Whose standards? Is there a international standard for portable disc golf teepads? Or are they your standards that you've come up with in house? If it's the latter, it's neither a pro or con. Who says your standards are any good or acceptable, other than you? Are they built to those standards, or just designed to them?
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dmoore1998
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Honestly, no, I don't think it does. I think as with most companies you're vastly overestimating your product and vastly underestimating competition.
The biggest example would be cost. Cost is not difficult to estimate for the other methods. Frankly, giving your product the "Green" as "cost effective" (which it is not) and the others yellow seems disingenuous. Your product is not cost effective. It's a premium product, and that's ok, but it makes the entire comparison seem super biased.
Of the entire chart...one item gets one green mark?
For example, size...all other items can be any size really, yours is limited to specific selected pre-made sizes and shapes.
Flatpad
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We are pointing out how many open things there is to be solved on other type of solutions. I think it's fair when there's no other factory made teepad. So planning and building takes time, thus needs some money in essence. Not saying there if any other is better or worse. Comparison on different features only.
We are referring to Finnish standards of safe sporting equipment designs.
https://flatpad.fi/wp/en/frisbeegolf-heittoalusta-turvallisuus/
The technical solutions for Flat disc golf platforms take into account the SFS-EN 15312 + A1 standard for sports equipment in public sports grounds.
Flatpad
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That standard is actually same as this European one. https://www.en-standard.eu/csn-en-15312-a1-free-access-multi-sports-equipment-requirements-including-safety-and-test-methods/
jakebake91
* Ace Member *
Looked at your standards. By your own admission, it doesn't apply. One of the big selling points of flatpads is their portable nature right?
"This European Standard is applicable to free access multi-sports equipment and combinations intended for permanent installation (not temporary), which includes, but not exclusively, equipment for sports such as badminton, basketball, football, handball, hockey, table tennis, tennis, volleyball."
https://sales.sfs.fi/en/index/tuotteet/SFS/CEN/ID2/1/157887.html.stx
This is definitely not-standard and pretty technical, but there is water-permeable concrete out there which would solve a lot of the water-related issues with the concrete pads. We have them on one course in Nashville, and those teepads are always grippy no matter the conditions. Of course, that again is a "premium" product, as are these Flatpad teepads...
I agree that the chart is overselling the product a bit and underselling the competition (as it should, considering it's a marketing tool).
I agree that the chart is overselling the product a bit and underselling the competition (as it should, considering it's a marketing tool).
