Marking the Basket

[jhgonzo]

Is there anyone out here who feels that it is somehow okay or permissible to Sharpie your name and the date on a basket after acing it? I see this at almost every course I go to, and it drives me crazy!

Granted, there was that time when I first started out and always carried a Sharpie in my bag in case that day came, and now I'm glad I didn't get my first ace until after I outgrew that attitude. I think most of the kids that do this are hacks, probably either just starting out (as alluded to with my past) or a**holes in general.

Some people I know have been discing for a LONG time, are VERY serious about their game, and still have no aces...and so they still carry that Sharpie and swear that the basket they get their first ace on will be "inscribed."

I'll put it this way--No one who sees your name/date of the ace on the basket is going to give a s**t. If you want to commemorate your accomplishment, do it on your own property (the piece of plastic or the arm that gave you that ace, I don't care). You say you're a disc golfer and don't think it's vandalism, but what you make yourself out to be is a dick with no decency or consideration to the time and expense involved in putting that course in for you to enjoy...and once somebody sees it's "okay" to mark a basket, others will follow suit.

If you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO vandalize after an ace, do the course designer/parks people a favor and leave as much identifying information as possible--name, phone number, address--so you can be prosecuted.

So, that being said, who thinks this childish behavior is permissible? Even if it's your first ace that you've waited years and years for?

 

[vonDrehle]

I personally can't stand it when people right on the basket that they got an ace on the hole. To me that is no different then going to a golf course and writing on the flag that you got a hole in one. At my home course we can't so much as put down a new tee pad on a new hole before someone comes in while it is drying at writes 4:20 or something of that sort in it and it just makes me mad.

 

[timg]

I don't think they do it around here.. or at least I haven't noticed it on the Rochester/Buffalo courses I play at. It is definitely vandalism no matter how you slice it. You don't see ball golfers signing the pin flag after they get a hole in one.. they do usually save the ball though which is fine. Save the disc, date it, hang it on your wall but leave the basket out of it.

 

[Fore]

I don't like it when people write on the basket or the tee signs. I do carry a sharpie with me but it's for writing on the disc not other peoples property.

 

[billnchristy]

You think that is bad go look at Fort Yargo's #18 basket. The thing is full of stupid sigs even a "Joey Jackass* scored a +10 4/6/09"

F'n ridiculous.

Then some a-hole wrote "Donny Dumbsh-- lost a blue wraith 6/15/09" on Alexander Park's #17"

Wow...

*Joey Jackass is a fictional name...not so sure if Donny is real or not

 

[Roc1Time]

Ya dont let supersloth see this thread, he thinks its cool. I cant stand it and think it is dumb as hell

 

[mobster]

I claim my aces at my local courses.

 

[80playedin10states]

in the good ol days, vandalism was against the law and people paid for it...if i ever catch someone writing on a basket around here(havent seen it anywhere in 15 years) i will personally slide their sharpie into their small intestine..

 

[milow369]

I agree, I've only had one ace, I was playing with a buddy, I hit it, we celebrated, he marked up my disc and it's sitting safely in the back of my closet. I don't see a need to further mark up a basket. Every time I play that hole (especially if the basket is in the same position) I feel like it's mine and always will be mine. I don't need to see some faded initials to prove I did it.

If, and only if, the only thing ever seen on a basket were signatures of people who had aced it, I might feel otherwise but as it is there's all kinds of crap, graffiti, examples of ignorance on the baskets that someone's initials and date get lost in it anyway.

It's one of those things that DG has to figure out and rectify. Maybe a chastity belt that doesn't accept marker or something. Maybe trash cans that fill and empty themselves. It's one of those warts that those of us who love the game will have to live with.

 

[jhgonzo]

in the good ol days, vandalism was against the law and people paid for it...if i ever catch someone writing on a basket around here(havent seen it anywhere in 15 years) i will personally slide their sharpie into their small intestine..

My sentiments exactly. None of the baskets on my course have been vandalized yet, but if I see it, it's getting painted over or erased immediately (and since that course is kind of "my baby," I check every basket on every round I play; OCD is partly to blame for that too, I guess!). If I catch 'em in the act--well, it's on a college campus with security frequently patrolling, and in a small town where the cops aren't too far away, and if calling it in to have a citation issued immediately doesn't work, I can always get your license plate. I'm one of the last guys to call cops (we've had a rocky past together), but I won't be a dick if you won't be a douche--the two just don't mix.

 

[fifteen]

Never seen it happening at my local courses, either on the baskets or the tee signs.

 

[Skankin77]

Someone writing on the baskets at LTC, Jason?

No one writes on baskets here (Tendick), only on the back of the tee signs..which seem to be no problem really. I guess in a sense it is vandalism, but it doesn't really tick anyone off that much.

 

[hh2news]

The baskets at my local course are covered. But at least it's just stuff like, Joe C. 4/12/09

 

[jhgonzo]

Someone writing on the baskets at LTC, Jason?

No one writes on baskets here (Tendick), only on the back of the tee signs..which seem to be no problem really. I guess in a sense it is vandalism, but it doesn't really tick anyone off that much.

No, nobody's marked the baskets...and I happen to know there's been a fair amount of aces out there, so I much appreciate that! I think one of the reasons for the zero vandalism is because we're in a small town, with Manitowoc 11 miles north and Sheboygan 11 miles south, so that "vandal" demographic (i.e. the ones that can't drive yet or the ones that just for some reason prefer to hang out in crowded parks) can't really get out here...what few teens we have in town are for the most part uninterested in DG for right now, which suits me just fine. Heck, I wouldn't care if NOBODY played LTC, 'cause it's already in the ground and paid for, and one of the big reasons I even initially proposed the course was for purely selfish reasons--I didn't want to constantly drive to Manitowoc and Sheboygan!

 

[Skankin77]

No, nobody's marked the baskets...and I happen to know there's been a fair amount of aces out there, so I much appreciate that! I think one of the reasons for the zero vandalism is because we're in a small town, with Manitowoc 11 miles north and Sheboygan 11 miles south, so that "vandal" demographic (i.e. the ones that can't drive yet or the ones that just for some reason prefer to hang out in crowded parks) can't really get out here...what few teens we have in town are for the most part uninterested in DG for right now, which suits me just fine. Heck, I wouldn't care if NOBODY played LTC, 'cause it's already in the ground and paid for, and one of the big reasons I even initially proposed the course was for purely selfish reasons--I didn't want to constantly drive to Manitowoc and Sheboygan!

Yeah, Sheboygan is just getting worse and worse as the days go on, I'm suprised all the baskets haven't been stolen or something to that effect.

Smart move creating a course so you wouldn't have to drive. There's plenty of room and some woods in my backyard..I think I need to take a few pointers from ya.

 

[HolySchnell]

My course has a sheet on the bulletin board at the start/finish for people to sign when they get an ace and that's pretty much where it stays. I do carry a Sharpie with me though...to sign an ace disc (if that ever happens!) and it came in useful the other day to keep score when my pen stopped working.

But I kinda doubt the police/security whatnot are going to do much about someone writing on a piece of metal in a park. Odds are they know very little if any about disc golf and won't care too much. But then again you could run into one who is just as passionate about it and become and unstoppable, anti-vandalism force! (something every course should have!)

 

[bjreagh]

Agreed, I carry a Sharpie- to write on my discs after an ace, I have never even considered writing on the basket. (I have had only one ace, about 5 years ago, no Sharpie with me that day. Since I started carrying one I have had no aces, I guess I should get rid of it!!!)

 

[Roc1Time]

Agreed, I carry a Sharpie- to write on my discs after an ace, I have never even considered writing on the basket. (I have had only one ace, about 5 years ago, no Sharpie with me that day. Since I started carrying one I have had no aces, I guess I should get rid of it!!!)

Thats what "chunks" says. He has had to use mine twice this year and he always seems to be hiding when I have hit mine.

 

[jhgonzo]

My course has a sheet on the bulletin board at the start/finish for people to sign when they get an ace and that's pretty much where it stays. I do carry a Sharpie with me though...to sign an ace disc (if that ever happens!) and it came in useful the other day to keep score when my pen stopped working.

But I kinda doubt the police/security whatnot are going to do much about someone writing on a piece of metal in a park. Odds are they know very little if any about disc golf and won't care too much. But then again you could run into one who is just as passionate about it and become and unstoppable, anti-vandalism force! (something every course should have!)

I've seen a few courses that have an "Ace Board" near the start, and that does seem to work well...doesn't deter the little brats that go out there with every intent of marking something up (seriously, white kids in Wisconsin, what gang do you think you're actually in? Go claim your turf in Chicago...but watch this movie first).

I think with how bored the cops are in a small town, they'd actually jump at the opportunity to bust someone...actually, I KNOW they'd jump at that opportunity! Again, I'm fortunate to be in a small town (pop. 1361) with THREE full-time cops and a whole bunch of campus security! Plus, I'm well-known by most of them as "that disc golf guy," so they'd at least listen to my concerns...

I still don't like cops, for the record.

 

[klay]

Someone writing on the baskets at LTC, Jason?

No one writes on baskets here (Tendick), only on the back of the tee signs..which seem to be no problem really. I guess in a sense it is vandalism, but it doesn't really tick anyone off that much.

Yeah, Tendick was nice and clean when I was there. Its not something you notice when it doesn't happen either (unless you're OCD ).

Villa Park in West Bend, on the other hand, had all sorts of mark up on the tee marker posts. City course in a popular park for the youths. I can see why.