Must play courses in SC

[filobedo]

I think the owners wish somebody else was the owners, at least during the summer months when the vegetation gets out of control.

You need to get some goats or other livestock out there to graze.

 

[TheOtherBill]

You need to get some goats or other livestock out there to graze.

And giraffes so the livestock doesn't just create a bunch of tunnel shots....

 

[DavidSauls]

You need to get some goats or other livestock out there to graze.

And giraffes so the livestock doesn't just create a bunch of tunnel shots....

Excellent suggestions.

Our neighbors had goats, but coyotes or marauding dogs killed them all. They bought a llama to protect the goats, and now just have a lonely llama.

A well-trained giraffe would be terrific. Half of our struggles are trees branching out, tightening the fairways. Of course it would have to be a giraffe with a clear understanding of risk/reward; we wouldn't want him getting hungry and opening up new routes to make the course easier.

 

[Streets]

Make sure to throw in some left-handed livestock for Bennett.

 

[filobedo]

Make sure to throw in some left-handed livestock for Bennett.

I like the idea of giraffes to re establish the thumber route on #7.

 

[DavidSauls]

I like the idea of giraffes to re establish the thumber route on #7.

BANNED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[filobedo]

BANNED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My shock is that it took 25 minutes for the response. I would have thought you would have alerts for any post indicating thumbers associated with Stoney Hill.

 

[DavidSauls]

It takes 25 minutes for alerts to reach us, way out here in the middle of nowhere.

 

[DavidSauls]

Anyway, back to the subject, "must play" in S.C. is seasonal. Best in October in the Upstate, when you can play Winthrop Gold with the ropes, and loop around Pipeline, Grand Central Station, Stoney Hill, Chester, (presumably) Camp Canaan, and fill in with a few other good courses. The weather's good, the leaves starting to change, and Stoney Hill is actually groomed. Runner-up is Charleston in early December, when you can grab Trophy Lakes and Hampton Park, and for 95% of people, its much warmer than wherever else you're from.

 

[discNDav]

Pipeline or Grand Ctl Sta in early October? (normally I dislike heavily wooded courses).

 

[DavidSauls]

Grand Central Station is only half heavily wooded. Almost half of it is relatively open, or open with scattered obstacles.

 

[heartman]

As it happens, this thread pointed me to Pipeline, which I otherwise wouldn't have heard of, and got to play it this weekend. I thought it was pretty solid, probably a four for the golf itself. Signage was good, I liked the teepads (and mystifyingly have still only seen the geogrid/gravel used in SC), and elevation was used to great effect. Fairways were clear, with maybe a couple gaps too narrow. There were two par 3s back to back on the front 9 with strange late turns that I couldn't see 2ing without luck or a very long putt. The last 3 holes were awesome par 4s, pretty easy if you get cleanly off the tee but still fun and demanding.

I played with my dad and one of his friends, who aren't disc golfers but are avid hikers. Our collective agreement was that the steps were horrible. They're worse for erosion than nothing at all, and unsafe for those using them, especially to descend. The Forest Service Trail Manual is an excellent resource for learning to properly construct safe and effective erosion control measures. Given that that's my biggest critique, the course is definitely worth a play. I just wish I'd had the time to play Tyger River as well.

KatanaFrenzy's been splooshing over Pipeline nonstop since he played it last ... Thursday? You two should compare notes :thmbup:

 

[sjberry2017]

As it happens, this thread pointed me to Pipeline, which I otherwise wouldn't have heard of, and got to play it this weekend. I thought it was pretty solid, probably a four for the golf itself. Signage was good, I liked the teepads (and mystifyingly have still only seen the geogrid/gravel used in SC), and elevation was used to great effect. Fairways were clear, with maybe a couple gaps too narrow. There were two par 3s back to back on the front 9 with strange late turns that I couldn't see 2ing without luck or a very long putt. The last 3 holes were awesome par 4s, pretty easy if you get cleanly off the tee but still fun and demanding.

I played with my dad and one of his friends, who aren't disc golfers but are avid hikers. Our collective agreement was that the steps were horrible. They're worse for erosion than nothing at all, and unsafe for those using them, especially to descend. The Forest Service Trail Manual is an excellent resource for learning to properly construct safe and effective erosion control measures. Given that that's my biggest critique, the course is definitely worth a play. I just wish I'd had the time to play Tyger River as well.

Yeah, the steps are pretty annoying; at the very least there's a bit too large of a gap between the steps so you feel as if you're going to fall at times. The ones that I found to be particularly bad were 17's.

Which par 3's are you talking about? The only one that I felt was unfair was #6, where there's the 90 degree turn uphill; I'm guessing the other is 7, and I feel like that could be a good skip shot with either a RHBH or a LHFH. The nice thing on 7 though is the rough is pretty well cleared out; I kicked pretty far into it when I played and still recovered for a three.

 

[sjberry2017]

I didn't really like 6; I felt like the way the turn and trees acting as control points on the inside were oriented such that the best shots hugging the corner would probably get knocked down to the same place that straight shots would. Not making the gap probably makes the scoring separation between 3 and 4, rather than 2 and 3, so it's not like everyone's taking exactly the same score. That part's okay. It just felt like an "uh, we need to go this direction and have a lefty hole somewhere in here" design.

Your point about the rough on 7 being cleared out is one of the things I didn't like about it. The hole turns left, but you don't really want to finish hard left, more make the turn and straighten out. I felt like the portion after the turn was too far. While the fairway was very cleared out, having the schule on the left be an easy recovery doesn't punish the bad shots that punch in too early (especially since they're likely to get the same score as someone who plays fairway golf to 50 short, which is about as close as I could get in 6 throws).

Agreed on 6, but eh, I personally like how 7 is; it is a bit far from the turn, but not absolutely absurd. I also like the recovery options, since kicking in is to be kind of expected. But I suppose that's just an agree to disagree situation, so oh well.

I am curious, what did you think of Hole 11? I thought it was a really fun hole, and the way they did the elevated pin is, to me, really cool.

 

[mullethead326]

Agreed on 6, but eh, I personally like how 7 is; it is a bit far from the turn, but not absolutely absurd. I also like the recovery options, since kicking in is to be kind of expected. But I suppose that's just an agree to disagree situation, so oh well.

I am curious, what did you think of Hole 11? I thought it was a really fun hole, and the way they did the elevated pin is, to me, really cool.

Good hole, maybe the best combo of fun and golf shot on the course.

 

[sprintermatt]

Leaves haven't fallen here yet in October. Not even close. If that's your worry.

 

[BennettUA]

It just felt like an "uh, we need to go this direction and have a lefty hole somewhere in here" design.

If I had a nickel....

Excited to knock out the Pipeline this weekend. From the flyover, it does look to favor a righty with more left-turning holes or pin placements to the left, but again, that's not always a bad thing, just "par for the course" in the world of disc golf. I also know all too well that you can't judge a course by what you think it looks like on video.

 

[DavidSauls]

Bennett, take it as the World's hint to perfect that forehand.

 

[BennettUA]

Bennett, take it as the World's hint to perfect that forehand.

If only the world could follow in Stoney Hill's lead, disc golf would be a much more fair game for all.

 

[DavidSauls]

If only the world could follow in Stoney Hill's lead, disc golf would be a much more fair game for all.

We're just trying to make things interesting for righties, and you're reaping the benefits.