As a designer, I would probably produce separate lists based on skill level and couldn't make a master list like this even based on personal enjoyment. It looks like Mike is influenced a little more by landscaping and structures on the course (or lack of) than design which is understandable considering that's what he does.
I wouldn't say I am more heavily influenced by landscaping and structures over design otherwise Bryant Lake would be much higher than it is, but I do think that appropriate landscaping can be done to really bring out a courses attributes. I think it is something that the sport will eventually embrace as being a way to "show off" your course. I mean who wants to see a worn out green area from overuse . . . why not elevate the basket with some timbers, level the area, and put in some mulch rather than continuing to let the compaction kill the turf and increase erosion. It may be something that gets more heavily embraced by the Pay to Play courses out there that are actually trying to turn a profit, as opposed to the public and county parks that dominate our sport right now.
I do appreciate design as one of the biggest factors in my enjoyment of a course, maybe that doesn't come out in my reviews because it is so hard to write all that down in my little notebook as I play these courses and travel all over the place, but noting that a course has nice timber walls, and such is a simple jot in the notebook.
I guess I look at it this way, if a course took no thought to put it in, I will not enjoy it. If the designer used the property well including a lot of variety and challenge, I will choose that anyday. And if a designer did these things and added some landscaping etc . . .I will think even higher of the course, so I guess I just feel that landscaping will elevate a course in my list if everythiing else is done well too. Landscaping without actual thought into design could actually be a detriment to my feelings about a course.
I am trying to get an eye for the design process as it is really something I would like to do in this sport. It is hard to see what a designer has seen or not seen on a property without having been there with them from the beginning and I often find myself making notes about what was missed on a property. That may not be fair to a designer because there may have been restrictions that I didn't know about, but as I am getting further and further into the sport and I continue to see countless incredible courses I am learning the things that I think make for great disc golf. Figuring out how to put it all together on a blank canvas (untouched natural land) will be difficult but I look forward to the challenge.
These are just my feelings and philosophies and I certainly do appreciate landscaping since my entire professional career has been either in landscaping or golf course maintenance (18 years). My move into disc golf 3 years ago was shocking to say the least to go from pristine lush tees, fairways and greens with properly pruned trees and shrubs to the more natural feel you get on disc golf courses. Initially I was shocked and the first courses I played actually were a little depressing for me. I said to myself "this is what disc golf courses are like". Then I realized it was free everwhere you go, it didn't have the budgets that we had in the golf course industry, and it was more about using the land available than creating the fun and challenge by disturbing the land (like the golf industry has done for years). I can still appreciate both sports and both design concepts.
