Post "growing the sport" disc golf

[brutalbrutus]

I'm not totally sure but I think it is at least in part self funded. They have several nice 18hole ball golf courses that make them a large chunk of their budget. But they have been dragging their heels for several years about upgraded the disc golf courses. They have 4 mostly original steady ed courses( 2 -18hole, 2-9hole). I'm sure that all the money they have been spending clearing Ash trees probably hasn't helped...

 

[DavidSauls]

So are we hung up on the $30? Forget the exact dollar value, focus more on the model.

In part. If the model is lots of better private courses, $5 per round or per day, I'm all for it.

This is likely to be in addition to free, sometimes crowded public courses.

 

[scarpfish]

As long I live in an area with relatively low population in relation to courses available, have a job that involves weekend work so that I can enjoy off peak playing times, and live in a climate with plenty of unideal weather days that run the fair weather crowd off, I'm not the slightest bit worried about this.

But I will say had I gotten acquainted with disc golf where there were different circumstances in those regards, I perhaps wouldn't have stuck with it as long as I have.

 

[SonicGuy]

I'm sure that all the money they have been spending clearing Ash trees probably hasn't helped...

I wonder if this will be a hidden boon for disc golf over the next decade. Park budgets have had to be increased to cover ash removal, and once the ash are all gone hopefully that budget will stay with the department and be up for grabs.

 

[DiscLoser1]

I'll stop weedwhacking and removing thorns at my favorite course and the crowds will disappear!

^ This is pretty much true.

Or more Gold level courses, casual players don't seem to like courses without birdie chances on every hole.

A local course recently underwent a small redesign, with the addition of a long, challenging hole, locals are up in arms, and the course isn't as crowded as it usually is. Also the rough is in full effect...

 

[INTP]

I think it won't be much of a problem, as more courses means more room for difficulty diversification.

Maybe they can be ranked like ski hills are ranked. The bunny hills and green circles will always be crowded, while the more advanced courses hopefully would be self-selective.

 

[esdubya]

DG is able to fit on so much more types of land that golf, it takes up 1/4 to 1/3 of the space of golf, and a fraction of the cost to maintain while serving essentially the same amount of people per hole. At the same time our municipalities are starting to realize that conserving and adding greenspace makes a town a better place to live with higher property values. I don't see land availability being a huge issue in most areas.

That said - where I moved a few years ago (Windsor, Ontario) has ZERO courses. The closest in Canada is over two hours away. No one in this town had ever heard of this sport until recently when I joined up with a few locals to promote it and start to develop relationships with the local municipalities. Now, we hope to have our first course in the ground by the end of this year, with more to follow. Time will tell but I moved from a heavy use area (SE Michigan) to a barren wasteland. It's actually been incredibly interesting to see the new players and scene develop here. Once we get the course it will explode.

 

[Peter S]

So when I discovered this little cult sport in the 90's we had only 3 courses in the tri-county area of Dade, Broward & Palm Beach. We rarely saw more than the 6-10 league players on Sundays & the course was always deserted.

We now have 19 courses in the same area.

I have witnessed about an equal amount of growth of players and enough new courses in the area to handle the influx. However, our 2 original Ft Lauderdale courses are very busy on weekends to the point they have become my least favorite to play and I only play there for league.

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1220
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1927

 

[Hampstead]

I'm not totally sure but I think it is at least in part self funded. They have several nice 18hole ball golf courses that make them a large chunk of their budget. But they have been dragging their heels for several years about upgraded the disc golf courses. They have 4 mostly original steady ed courses( 2 -18hole, 2-9hole). I'm sure that all the money they have been spending clearing Ash trees probably hasn't helped...

Wasn't there the possibility that Mt Airy was going to close? Something about a streetcar or something?

 

[Anon]

After slogging through the most arduous BRP round on a Sunday mulligan league night I can unequivocally say that 'growing the sport' is exactly what I don't want to happen.

'Pay to play' keep the riff-raff out???

Not so much in the Twin Cities these days.

Not to mention all the guys treating their mulligan round like McBeth in a final-round USDGC.

Unreal.

 

[SonicGuy]

After slogging through the most arduous BRP round on a Sunday mulligan league night I can unequivocally say that 'growing the sport' is exactly what I don't want to happen.

'Pay to play' keep the riff-raff out???

Not so much in the Twin Cities these days.

Not to mention all the guys treating their mulligan round like McBeth in a final-round USDGC.

Unreal.

BRP is one of the courses that makes me think that tee times may become a necessity. It is simply unplayable in peak season.

 

[Anon]

BRP is one of the courses that makes me think that tee times may become a necessity. It is simply unplayable in peak season.

Yup. Feels like if you don't arrive immediately in the morning and get out away from #4.... you gonna get stuck in a log jam. And it only grows and grows as the day goes on.

I love BRP but it was one of the most frustrating rounds in recent memory and it was not due to how I was playing (which is the usual frustration).

 

[SonicGuy]

Yup. Feels like if you don't arrive immediately in the morning and get out away from #4.... you gonna get stuck in a log jam. And it only grows and grows as the day goes on.

I love BRP but it was one of the most frustrating rounds in recent memory and it was not due to how I was playing (which is the usual frustration).

The other issue with BRP is the absolutely insane mosquito population, which is even more noticeable when standing around for 20 minutes. I wonder if those gigantic tepid water holes around the course contribute to this...

 

[Jay Dub]

Wasn't there the possibility that Mt Airy was going to close? Something about a streetcar or something?

I don't remember hearing anything about that. The streetcar is here.
There was some talk about funding the parks or funding the police/fire departments. It was either/or and of course the parks was not a top priority so the PD/FD got their funding.

Maybe that's what you're thinking.

 

[Hampstead]

I don't remember hearing anything about that. The streetcar is here.
There was some talk about funding the parks or funding the police/fire departments. It was either/or and of course the parks was not a top priority so the PD/FD got their funding.

Maybe that's what you're thinking.

Took a minute, but from the fog of memory I found this thread

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88229

 

[brutalbrutus]

Yea, they were talking about defunding some of the city parks, a couple years ago. But that's separate from the Co. Parks. Cincinnati actually has two City park departments on top of the country parks. Cincinnati city Parks department and Cincy recreation commission.

 

[brutalbrutus]

Great Parks of Hamilton County (formerly Hamilton County Park District) was created in 1930 with the mission to protect local natural resources and to provide outdoor recreation and education for area residents. Great Parks of Hamilton County is a separate political subdivision of the State of Ohio, governed by a Board of Park Commissioners. The Board is comprised of five individuals who serve without compensation. Board members are appointed by the Judge of Probate Court, the Honorable Ralph Winkler.

I guess that makes sense since the Park rangers wear little state trooper patches.

 

[pauldst]

For reference MSP has just under 3x more ball golf holes than disc golf (about 1200 disc golf holes). I am willing to bet that ball golf is many factors more than 3x more popular than disc golf. So currently we have less players per hole than ball golf and we have high wait times and overcrowding during peak hours. I cannot see new course construction keeping up with the new players.

Frequency of play needs to be included in any calculations. Generally, individual ball golfers don't play near often as disc golfers. At a guess, average of at most once every two weeks vs avg. of 3 times a week.

 

[Anon]

The other issue with BRP is the absolutely insane mosquito population, which is even more noticeable when standing around for 20 minutes. I wonder if those gigantic tepid water holes around the course contribute to this...

Yea. I suppose I can write the bugs off as typical MN.

I'd hate to see something like the pond on hole 6/7 go away. Truly a great par 4 as far as design is concerned.

I only get to BRP once a year but in the past 4 years its unreal how crowded its gotten. What felt like a 'hidden gem' for only the most hardcore of hardcore has been filled up with your typical suburban redneck beer-swilling chucker.

Sad. Tragic. #GrowTheSport

 

[discguy42]

Sometimes being on the fringe is a good thing.