Season of mud

[Mando]

The next two months are the worst ones for muddy conditions in the WNC mountains. Lots of precipitation with the freeze/thaw variable piled on. In terms of minimizing the soil degradation that is accelerated with foot traffic on waterlogged soils, what are some cost-effective preventative measures.
Also curious if there is any code of ethics amongst disc golfers to stay off courses when they are wet ? I know that mountain biking trails are periodically closed when they get too wet.

 

[tallpaul]

Beginning around five years ago; our area simply closed courses in Nov.; until May. This effort related more to spring conditions than winter. As a long time winter player (though, evidently I'm getting too old for such things; and have not played near as much the past few winters), it hurt to have most of the near courses shut down. However, from a land sustainability standpoint, it was a good move. If the baskets are in; and sometimes even when not (as players will show up and play tee post to tee post); players will play. Popularity of the sport; combined with lack of etiquette from the masses; has made this inevitable.

 

[Apothecary]

the really (regularly) muddy courses ive played use some sort of poles, logs, railroad ties or 2x4s as paths to walk on. ive also seen gravel out there to harden things up a bit.

 

[tallpaul]

The only long term solution is to use materials suggested by Apoth and then fill over the top of them; with some sort of edge containment. In other words, to have walking fairways elevated; so water drains off the sides. This, of course, is lots of work; and therefore the efforts of the boy scouts or some other donating time agency is really needed to help out. Mountainous conditions, of course, add to difficulty.

 

[Mando]

players will play. Popularity of the sport; combined with lack of etiquette from the masses; has made this inevitable.

This is really what I want to discuss. When will disc golf get to the point where people can see past their next round ?
Pipedream; " you know, I'd really like to play today, but I don't want to contribute to the soil compaction/erosion"
In ball golf the course is closed or you stick to the cart path.

 

[1978]

When will they see that bending over 1 more time in the round to pick up a fallen limb and throwing it off the fairway or throwing their trash in the trash can is in the best interest for all. The answer is no, people will not listen or be curtious. We just poured concrete...and I put up 15 signs saying to stay off the pads for 3-4 days or play would ruin the texturing. We covered them with plastic and straw. Did this stop people NO and about 15 of them tried to scratch their names into the concrete. I had to go back and rub it out before the pads dried. The key is to understand that players will break limbs and track mud around. You need as a good course designer or maintenance person to plan for the worst. So erosion control, wood chips, gravel, what ever you can do to stop the flow of water or collection of water is all you can do.

 

[1978]

Same in ball golf...how many people slam their clubs in the green, dont repair divots, or ball marks on the green? Or when they do, do it incorrectly and kill the grass on the green. How many people refuse to rake after they are in the sand traps... Its not all or even many. The ones that do mess that stuff up, however ruin the greens, sand traps for everyone.

 

[hognosesucker]

We move pin placements in the spring to the flatter positions to avoid hillside erosion, we are planning on making a winter placement on a particularly bad hillside so that we can help alleviate problems, although folks still sled on that hill. I play pretty often in the winter/spring mud season, although I play shorter, flatter courses generally during this period. Personally, I think it is a lack of communication between the players and the people that know the causes and consequences of playing hillsides in the mud season, or at all. We all love hilly courses, but it comes with a price to the land, esp. at heavily used courses.

Another cool idea is happening in WI at standing rocks with different loops (12 hole loops and a 9 hole loop), a loop can be closed at any time to let the land rest periodically.

 

[Mando]

Same in ball golf...how many people slam their clubs in the green, dont repair divots, or ball marks on the green? Or when they do, do it incorrectly and kill the grass on the green. How many people refuse to rake after they are in the sand traps... Its not all or even many. The ones that do mess that stuff up, however ruin the greens, sand traps for everyone.

I hope you are not comparing ball golf ettiquette to dg ettiquitee cuz we don't even know ho to spell it.

 

[Apothecary]

hee hee...

idk dg uses more rugged land and doesnt require $10,000 greens. the courses are, therefore, always changing and more like living entities.

cant handle muddy courses? dont play them.

 

[lokirising]

Greenway Park in Oregon is on wetlands, so this time of year it's a marsh.

 

[Mando]

cant handle muddy courses? dont play them.

Good answer. I didn't know Arnold Schwarzengger played disc golf.

 

[Apothecary]

what?

 

[Longliveguitar]

my home course is a swamp of sorrow this time of year, its a bummer

 

[Mando]

Players will play...

 

[Spatula Cornroll]

Bring an extra towel motha truckas!

 

[tallpaul]

^^^^Mando is asking from a course designer/owner's perspective.

 

[Mando]

^^^^Mando is asking from a course designer/owner's perspective.

Actually, not. More from the long-term-keep-a-course-in-the ground perspective...

 

[Mando]

Regarding wet weather play, I really have to question whether disc golf is the ultimate instant gratification game/sport/outdoor activity...who is looking past tomorrow ?

 

[tallpaul]

As mentioned by hognose; the rotating loops, where parts of the course can be shut down for a year or two is the ultimate answer for long term; but few have this option.