Merging fairways?

[DagG]

Considering the addition of a shortened, casual loop to make a ~2950', par 29 nine hole design more accessible to family/beginner player groups. This shorter loop would eliminate several longer, more heavily wooded holes while retaining the pretty, 'walk in the park' type holes. The casual player would be directed to a separate tee after playing #3 to play a 'short cut' to #7 basket. Though the two tees are not visible one from the other, anyone progressing more than ~50' down one fairway would be easily visible from the other. The fairways would merge into one approximately 340' (300' effective) from the #7 tee, 70' from the casual tee, with the point of merger visible from either tee.

Has anyone utilized or had experience with such a design? There are similarities with a multiple tee design though there would be a lower degree of awareness one group to the other.

 

[Cgkdisc]

I'd be concerned about doing this when groups are coming from different holes to this one. We are doing something similar with a redesign where there will be a casual loop but we've added a few extra short holes to route players back into the main loop. My question would be if you could add one or two separate short holes that would be played instead of this merged fairway idea and still get your casual players to the hole following the one you are thnking about merging?

 

[Grungedude42]

Wouldn't seem to be too family/newbie friendly to merge holes and have plastic coming down on one group or the other. Seems like an annoyance or a huge risk to merge newbie groups with experienced groups like that.

 

[Dave242]

Wouldn't seem to be too family/newbie friendly to merge holes and have plastic coming down on one group or the other. Seems like an annoyance or a huge risk to merge newbie groups with experienced groups like that.

I do not see this as a problem any more than casuals intermingling on the same course as they do everywhere else. Especially so due to this:

Though the two tees are not visible one from the other, anyone progressing more than ~50' down one fairway would be easily visible from the other. The fairways would merge into one approximately 340' (300' effective) from the #7 tee, 70' from the casual tee, with the point of merger visible from either tee.

No different than holes that bend where people could be off the fairway in the woods looking for discs and the associated danger or people throwing into an area they may walk into. In fact, with proper warning signs on your merge, I see this as even less of an issue.

Part of the consideration might be how heavily played the course is. But think about this: when heavily played, the flow of traffic on the hole before the split will equal the flow of traffic right after the merge. "Flow of traffic" is the same as "wait time at each tee".

I see no issue at all with the idea. Just think through scenarios where there is danger and do your best to mitigate.

 

[DagG]

My question would be if you could add one or two separate short holes that would be played instead of this merged fairway idea and still get your casual players to the hole following the one you are thnking about merging?

Overall issue is a bit complicated but the simple answer is that, should the
board approve the project, we have nine baskets to work with.

 

[Cgkdisc]

If you only have nine baskets, the casual loop will be fewer holes anyway. Just design the layout so the casual loop can cut over to a higher numbered tee by walking. We do that all the time. At the IDGC, players can play holes 1-5 then 15-18 for a 9-hole loop on the Steady Ed. No merging fairways, just a simple walk.

 

[mubhcaeb78]

A friend and I have an idea about hole "occupancy".

you have a button you hit when you tee off, the light on that tee (and in your case, both sets of tees) turn red, alerting you, and next group of players, that the hole is in use (especially important on hill blinds/doglegs). After the basket, on the way to next tee is the next button to turn them green (or just remove the red light).

Anyone else feel this is a worthwhile project?

 

[aardvarkious]

It is a cool idea. But probably not worth the hassle, especially since people would forget or not choose to use it all the time.

 

[JimDK27]

If you only have nine baskets, the casual loop will be fewer holes anyway. Just design the layout so the casual loop can cut over to a higher numbered tee by walking. We do that all the time. At the IDGC, players can play holes 1-5 then 15-18 for a 9-hole loop on the Steady Ed. No merging fairways, just a simple walk.

They do the same thing at Victor Ashe in Knoxville. I thought it was very clever and simple the first time I learned about it.

 

[optidiscic]

If you have 9 extra basket why not just make a shortie course separate from the reg course that will benefit everyone.....I would love a warm up putter friendly niner and all the inherent safety flaws and design issues of co-mingling subsets of skillsets, erosion wear and tear etc could be eliminated. This would be beginners, couples, kids,elders and families as well as veterans a place to have a warm up round or a fun ace chase post round....I would bet sacrificing 2 acres of the land for a fun little niner would make your courses a destination and would be overall the best plan.
My fear is you are too in love with the current design and don't wanna change it to accomodate a solid shortie course (I will add short courses can be more adventurous with obstacles and tricky greens and can actually be more fun to design and play)...consider that your current 18 hole course will be jeopardized more by overlaying this confusing niner that will create more erosion and trampling/clearing of the main course when simply finding an appropriate 2-3 acres could yield a wonderful addition to your site. ou may not even have to change the main course much to accomplish it.
The problem with the overlay is once you do it you have changed the original course forever and thats not always a good thing
either way I commend you for thinking of this segment of disc golfers which is underserved and ignored