How Do You Deal with Defiant Pedestrians?

[robdeforge]

I never have. That's a little more than I want to bite off and they're usually pretty occupied. Why they chose to shoot there is fairly obvious: it's green, beautiful, and nobody else was there before this crazy disc golfer showed up.

"Hey guys, this part of the park is a disc golf course. Could you relocate to a different area of the park?"

 

[R-Ogre]

If anyone thinks that posting signs will make any difference whatsoever they have much more faith in humanity than I do.

 

[enragedmullet]

If it's a chronic problem at a particular course I might stop playing the course in general. I hate skipping holes, it messes w/ my OCD. Even if later I can check the hole out and play it, I've still gotta get back to that hole, and that messes w/ my laziness.

I once waited twenty minutes for a group of 4 yuppies that were standing at the basket for 18 at Cedar beach on Long Island. It was obvious why I was there, I was in clear view, and they made no effort to move (in fact the ladies with them had put their purses in the basket). I avoid talking to people like that, makes me think they're hoping I say something.

 

[uncle pennybags]

...in the middle of a disc goof hole...

I like this. Maybe we should change the name of our sport!

:thmbup:

 

[Jimb]

I like this. Maybe we should change the name of our sport!

:thmbup:

Oops!

 

[BogeyNoMore]

If anyone thinks that posting signs will make any difference whatsoever they have much more faith in humanity than I do.

Probs doesn't help the first time someone walks on the course, but it legitimizes players when we politely explain to pedestrian traffic.

Chances are they notice it once you mention it.
....and just maybe, they stop and think, "Hmm, guess there's some truth to what that guy said," and avoid walking on the course subsequently.

With no signage to that effect, your explanation just seems self-serving, and good chance they do it again.

 

[TiltedFlipCurves]

I like this. Maybe we should change the name of our sport!

:thmbup:

I definitely play disc goof, not disc golf.

 

[foxdawg10]

"Hey guys, this part of the park is a disc golf course. Could you relocate to a different area of the park?"

Or try this:

 

[BillFleming]

Yesterday, I was on hole 17 of Red Mountain North in Mesa, Arizona. It's a short hole with lots of trees, low ceiling, and a dogleg left. There was a woman birdwatching in the middle of the fairway and among the trees. She was using her binoculars, so I waited as I didn't want to disturb her birdwatching. When she put down the binocs I went up to her and explained this was also a disc golf course and she was in the middle of the fairway. She let me know she was birdwatching and I responded that's why I waited to say anything, I didn't want to disturb her if she was looking a bird. We chatted for a moment, she asked where she should stand to be out of my way and I suggested on the opposite side of the tree. If I threw poorly, I would hit the tree and not her....and to be aware that I might hit the tree which would make a loud noise. That worked out perfectly for both of us.

I ended up missing that tree and hitting another....she said she didn't even notice and thanked me for "working with her" so she could continue birdwatching.

A win for both of us and it just delayed me a few minutes.

 

[DanJon]

If anyone thinks that posting signs will make any difference whatsoever they have much more faith in humanity than I do.

For real, the general public never actually read signs.

They can even be huge in bright letters.

The only reason for having them is as evidence that park goers were warned to watch out and chose not to.

 

[Hampstead]

Lack of adequate signage at a mixed use park is definitely a pet peeve.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

The only reason for having them is as evidence that park goers were warned to watch out and chose not to.

...which may be the best shot at keeping a course in the ground in the unfortunate event someone does get hurt.

 

[MaxFlight]

First I'll usually give them a holler to let them know they're in the danger zone. If they either don't move or can't hear me, I'll walk up to them and simply explain to them that they're in the middle of a Disc Golf fairway, and that they're at risk of being hit by rogue discs. I try to be as nice as I can about it, especially if they clearly have no idea what's going on around them.

 

[Countchunkula]

 

[autocrosscrx]

I guess this is one of the positives about our courses being hammered. When there is an average of a shot every minute from about 10 AM to 8 PM, people don't really obliviously set up picnics in the fairway.