Keeping "YOUR" course clean...

[D.W.G.]

I play at C.P.Adams in Hastings,MN---and there are many, MANY "younger" players that enjoy the course... I play just about every morning between 8-9 am... On days after a nice day, my group will pick up between 2-5 bags of garbage(cans, bottles, food wrappers, ect.) Now these are NOT 13 gallon bags, but they are larger than a bag from a Wal-Mart or Target store... What(IF ANYTHING) can be done to keep the course clean??? We have tried to get the city to put out more garbage cans, but they have yet to help us out... It is very frustrating to have to carry a garbage bag as well as your disc golf bag!!!

 

[srm_520]

It can be like fighting a losing battle - I just commend you on picking up trash and keeping your course clean.

 

[80playedin10states]

trash cans are good but someone has to empty them..the easiest way to keep a course clean is to fine litterbugs..."carry in...carry out" is a must...but still i pick up every course i play as much as possible...some people just dont get it

 

[jdc03270]

At my course (Johnson State College DGC) people get the garbage cans confused with the tops of the baskets. Weird.

 

[hatfield57]

We have a lot of bears in our area so most are very responsible. The few that were not everyone heckled until they got the point. Thankfully we have a pretty small crowd of golfers, so it is managable.

 

[bazillion]

Here's a thought: A lot of companies want to present a good public face, show that they're being good corporate citizens and so forth. Some may be willing to sponsor a "park clean-up", amounting to a day off with pay for anyone who wants to go out and clean up a local park.

I coordinated this sort of thing for a company I used to work for: we had a group out there picking up trash all morning and getting in a round of DG in the afternoon. We usually were able to pack out 12-15 LARGE trash bags full of crud, plus we usually found half a dozen or so lost discs in the schule.

The company wins (good PR), the city/county wins (clean park), and the people who participate win too (karma, discs found, one more round than otherwise, etc). I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[littleshoe]

Here's a thought: A lot of companies want to present a good public face, show that they're being good corporate citizens and so forth. Some may be willing to sponsor a "park clean-up", amounting to a day off with pay for anyone who wants to go out and clean up a local park.

I coordinated this sort of thing for a company I used to work for: we had a group out there picking up trash all morning and getting in a round of DG in the afternoon. We usually were able to pack out 12-15 LARGE trash bags full of crud, plus we usually found half a dozen or so lost discs in the schule.

The company wins (good PR), the city/county wins (clean park), and the people who participate win too (karma, discs found, one more round than otherwise, etc). I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Or at least sponsor garbage cans with a company logo on the side.

 

[scarpfish]

Seeing the trash on my disc course makes me wish that every state would charge a deposit on every can or bottle sold. That five cents or whatever could be used to fund course cleanups, improvements, and possibly fund new courses to be built.

Think of it this way:

If every disc golfer uses an average 250 containers with a 5 cent deposit in a year (hell, I've seen guys down a six pack alone at a single tournament), And in a given area you have 200 players, that's 50,000 containers.

50,000 x .05 = $2,500

 

[Dave242]

Something I was going to try at one point was to put a sign up saying something along the lines of "Your friends from the local disc golf club pick up litter. Your friends from the government (Park Department) empty the trash cans. Please put your tax dollars to work! Thank you."

My thinking is that probably a significant portion of litterers do so thinking that they are putting "the man" to work. Kind of a "who cares, this is goverments property and their problem" attitude. Educating those on how it really works might make a difference. The reason that this plan might not work is that it is possible that a larger portion of litterers don't care about anybody, any time, any day. But I think it is a low cost easy thing to do and worth a try.

 

[D.W.G.]

trash cans are good but someone has to empty them..the easiest way to keep a course clean is to fine litterbugs..."carry in...carry out" is a must...but still i pick up every course i play as much as possible...some people just dont get it

It is a city park, the parks department takes care of that...

Fine people??? Can you do that???

 

[Lewis]

Fine people??? Can you do that???

The police can do that.

 

[Neodammerung]

It is a city park, the parks department takes care of that...


I play at a city park where the P&R Dept. doesn't clean the DG course. It is up to a very few select people who feel that the passion for this sport goes farther than just chukin' a disc. These people trim the vegetation, pick up trash, and other wise keep the course up as best they can. I figure that the ratio of players (who do nothing) to those that keep the course is about 175:1. That being said, these guys/gals are very overloaded.

My point.... Just because "the City" owns it does'nt mean they keep it up!

 

[80playedin10states]

the parks dept. shouldn't be responsible for picking up others trash..they dont feed or clothe or wipe anyone's ass either as far as i know...it is up to golfers to clean it up usually..trash cans are usually worthless when litterbugs throw their trash around the can instead of in..i have seen this at almost every couse i have played with cans..the thing that sux the most is, it is a select few that are trashing the course and they never seem to get caught..posting signs warning of big fines for littering might help..but i will continue to fill up bags and turn in them nickels

 

[skottyb]

It is a city park, the parks department takes care of that...


I play at a city park where the P&R Dept. doesn't clean the DG course. It is up to a very few select people who feel that the passion for this sport goes farther than just chukin' a disc. These people trim the vegetation, pick up trash, and other wise keep the course up as best they can. I figure that the ratio of players (who do nothing) to those that keep the course is about 175:1. That being said, these guys/gals are very overloaded.

My point.... Just because "the City" owns it does'nt mean they keep it up!

This is a great point, most parks deparments want the players to clean up litter; since its players who are making the litter problem in the first place. Do yourself and local disc golfers a favor, just pick up after them, don't say anything and just move on. I have heard of courses getting pulled because of litter/vandalism problems. I have worked so hard on my local course that I think nothing of it, pick up some garbage when your playing with your next group of friends. You will be surprised at the impression you will make with these players and might enlighten someone too help you out. Too many people think the parks department should be responsible for "wiping there a$$"

 

[Neodammerung]

Do yourself and local disc golfers a favor, just pick up after them, don't say anything and just move on.


This just happened to me on 5/1/09..... Went golfing with some coworkers, one of them I have known for some time now. He brought some BEER and was kind enough to share with the others. I was the DD so I humbly refused. Anyway, at about hole #5 the first can was thrown into the woods, by my friend/coworker. I grumbled under my breath, said "that wasn't cool", and retrieved the can while he was teeing off. He happened to see me returning from the woods after I crushed the can. I placed the can in my bag, he asked me for the can, so he could "pack it out", I told him "not to worry I'll take care of it". I was very subtle and quiet about it all. Later, after 18 we were hanging out in the parking lot, and I told him about the people who clean up the course. He proceeded to tell me that he "would have felt better if I had cut him off at the knees, instead of being so humble about it", that I made him feel like a big jerk. I told him my intent was to just show the guys that it is just as easy to take it out, as it it to bring it in. Nonetheless, I made my point...


I can see both points of view of who's responsible for the clean up. What's really sad, is the people who do clean up, don't leave any info on how to get in touch with anyone. Keep in mind that I do know I can do some each time I play, but the difference can really be seen when a group can team up.

 

[DiscChick]

One of the saddest sites I've seen on the course. This pic was taken 5' from the pin, hole 12 at Dorey Park. Just because it's shaped like a trash can doesn't mean that it is one. There are trash cans on this course. How hard is it to carry something an extra few holes until you come across an actual trash can. It's going to take a grabber to get that stuff out of there.

 

[TerryP]

After the winter storms this year,about 30 of us cleaned up our course. We had a few chainsaws and had to make piles by the roads for the city to come pick up.There were trees down all over the place. It was a half day project,but was kind of fun..and rewarding after playing with clean holes.

Most of the litter in our park is non-players. People drive through the park and drop trash bags full into the cans....makes no sense. Daily occurence even. Yep,just pick up after them and cuss them while you do.

 

[runnaman]

If every disc golfer uses an average 250 containers with a 5 cent deposit in a year (hell, I've seen guys down a six pack alone at a single tournament), And in a given area you have 200 players, that's 50,000 containers.

50,000 x .05 = $2,500

I think this would be a great way to get a course in my town. It would take a while, but how cool would that be to have a sign at the park that said something like "Paid for with funds from bottle returns from bottles found at other parks", or something like that? I think it would cool and a good message.

 

[D.W.G.]

the parks dept. shouldn't be responsible for picking up others trash..they dont feed or clothe or wipe anyone's ass either

All I was saying is that the parks dept. takes care of the cans(EMPTYING THEM) I don't expect them to pick up the garbage...

 

[80playedin10states]

didn't mean to come off so harsh but why pay someone to clean up after others?..cans do not solve the problem...people like me-filling their golf bag and other bags with trash everytime they play seems to be the only solution..or maybe the cops in delaware have it right? hide in the bushes and write $500 littering tickets!!