Most preferred hole type?

[ambroze]

I wanted to get other opinions on what is the most preferred hole type.

1. Short, VERY tight wooded hole about 200ft-240ft with a small window off the tee.

2. Very long open hole where it's going to require a couple of long drives to come close to the basket.

3. Wooded medium length 280ft-380ft with an acceptable fairway path (either straight ahead or dogleg) to the basket.

I believe everyone's opinion may differ and I know that all types are shots are necessary for the game but I wanted to see also which people hated the most. The one I hate the most is #1, shot VERY tight wooded holes where the shot becomes more about luck than skill. I honestly like to watch the disc fly and see where my accuracy can place it.

 

[basketcase15]

a mix between 1 and 3

 

[Dave242]

I like wooded dogleg holes a lot - either slight bends that tempt you to go longer that the landing zone at the curve....or even all the way to right angle L shaped holes. I really want to see more of these designed in new courses that are being built.

The landing zone should be at about 80% of what a full power shot should be for the skill level the course is intended for and then the 2nd segment should be about 60-75% of full power. That means:
Gold level course (Open division): 1st leg 300-340', 2nd leg 210-300'.
Blue level course (Advanced division): 1st leg 260-290', 2nd leg 180-260'.
White (Intermediate division): 1st leg 220-250', 2nd leg 150-220'.
Red (Novice division): 1st leg 200-220', 2nd leg 135-200'.

These sort of holes really reward accuracy, power, creativity and course management better than any other hole type out there......and that is what the game of golf is all about!

 

[cmchavis]

For playing...

3. Wooded medium length 280ft-380ft with an acceptable fairway path (either straight ahead or dogleg) to the basket.

But, I love resting after a round or cooling down and watching people on big, wide open holes - just watching people throw (good and bad) is relaxing (and, at times, humorous).

I hate keyholes right off the tee, I always nail a tree (or shrub, or pole, or sign, etc.)

 

[Dave242]

The one I hate the most is #1, shot VERY tight wooded holes where the shot becomes more about luck than skill.

It depends what "VERY tight" is. An appropriate hole for one skill level might indeed have a length/width ratio that is luck-inducing for a lower skill level.

If ~70% of throws from a given skill level successfully make it through the early gap, that is not luck.

What I like about a narrow early gap on a short hole is that an error can easily turn into a bogey. Without that early trouble, an OK throw is a 3 and a bad/horrible throw is also a 3. The job of a disc golf hole is to reward good play and punish bad play......early trouble accomplishes that.

 

[BIGHAFNER]

I'm a big fan of type 3. I like 1 as well, but I tend to screw it up. As long as a hole has a fairway, I like it.

I hate type 2. I just played an 885 ft wide open hole. It's ridiculous.

 

[Pwingles]

Im not a fan of holes that have no line, whether is be right, left, high, low there needs to be at least 1 primary and hopefully visable off the tee, line.

 

[sidewinder22]

Of the types listed, #3.

 

[ambroze]

It depends what "VERY tight" is.

Oh I mean a very tight window where there's basically NO fairway just a basket sitting out there with a bunch of trees around it. If you don't hit that 1 small lucky gap then you are 100% screwed and yes you will have to take a 4 if not a 5.

 

[ambroze]

I hate type 2. I just played an 885 ft wide open hole. It's ridiculous.

I have to agree 100% with you there.

 

[KniceZ]

In order from fav to hate: 3 > 2 > 1.

But if type 2 gets extreme - I'd prefer a very tight (luck based) hole to a 1000'+ open field.

 

[bholy08]

type 3 for sure!

 

[sisyphus]

Hate 'luck' lines, Love...

gentle downhills that make my weak drives feel good.
I know most of the folks on here prefer more challenge, but a beautiful, established park course with large trees shaping nice open fairways with little chance of losing a disc are my current favorite. I don't mind some variety of shots and distances from ace runs to 400 footers, but mix it up!

 

[Dave242]

Oh I mean a very tight window where there's basically NO fairway just a basket sitting out there with a bunch of trees around it. If you don't hit that 1 small lucky gap then you are 100% screwed and yes you will have to take a 4 if not a 5.

Agreed - that is not good golf nor is it any fun (for me or my discs)!

Are there a lot of these holes out there? I have played almost 350 courses and only remember about 2-3 such holes. I try to play every single course in a given area I am in if I can find the time - so I am not avoiding the bad courses usually. Can you point me to these courses?

This question also goes to

Im not a fan of holes that have no line, whether is be right, left, high, low there needs to be at least 1 primary and hopefully visable off the tee, line.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I can have a great time on any of those, even if pretty much the whole course is like that. I'm a noodle arm, and have a relatively decent short game, so I tend to say I like short and technical, but to be honest, I really don't favor one over the other. I prefer a course that has a mix that that keeps things interesting, and forces you to hit different types of shots; those courses rate high with me.

However, a given plot of land may be particularly open, wooded, flat, hilly, or whatever. Not every course can provide an interesting mix. Doesn't mean it's a bad course, but it makes it very unlikely I'll rate it a 4.0 or higher. Hence it's nice to play different courses to get more variety.

I truly feel for players that have relatively few courses near them that all feature pretty much the same terrain and fairway types. That would really make the game boring for me. That's also why I really appreaciate River Bends and ThePonds at Lakeshore . Other local courses are predominantly woodsy, with a fes open holes thrown in here or there. They're the only truly open courses in this area, and really round out the local scene.

 

[tdschrock1]

seems like there could/should be other options in this list. My favorite holes usually require decent distance (300'+) and some line shaping. Its nice when there is a fairly open par-type route and a tougher, tighter 'birdie' route

 

[ambroze]

Are there a lot of these holes out there?

One course is a private course here in town that's not listed on here but it has a lot of short very tight holes. Another that comes to mind is #13 at Barfield Crescent Park in Murfreesboro, TN. Again this is just an example provided and I'm not saying that these holes aren't deuce-able or par-able I'm not saying I don't like them and they fill like "filler" holes on some courses.

 

[ambroze]

That's also why I really appreaciate River Bends and ThePonds at Lakeshore .

Those are nice courses I looked at the pictures on here, especially the Ponds course looks awesome! That's my kind of course right there since it looks like it has a good mix of distances.

 

[mjoyce]

I can have a great time on any of those, even if pretty much the whole course is like that. I'm a noodle arm, and have a relatively decent short game, so I tend to say I like short and technical, but to be honest, I really don't favor one over the other. I prefer a course that has a mix that that keeps things interesting, and forces you to hit different types of shots; those courses rate high with me.

However, a given plot of land may be particularly open, wooded, flat, hilly, or whatever. Not every course can provide an interesting mix. Doesn't mean it's a bad course, but it makes it very unlikely I'll rate it a 4.0 or higher. Hence it's nice to play different courses to get more variety.

I truly feel for players that have relatively few courses near them that all feature pretty much the same terrain and fairway types. That would really make the game boring for me. That's also why I really appreaciate River Bends and ThePonds at Lakeshore . Other local courses are predominantly woodsy, with a fes open holes thrown in here or there. They're the only truly open courses in this area, and really round out the local scene.

Man the ponds at lakeshore is such a fun course.

Also having the throw shop there is really sweet. We don't have a disc store anywhere close to that awesome in Pittsburgh. Nor do we have wide open long courses like the Ponds. I'm really happy to have played it on my way to Flip City

 

[Mulligan McGee]

I like 1 and 3 I dont mind 2 if its not the only type of hole on the course otherwise it just feels like your throwing in a field.