I got to attend the Moraine rounds on Tuesday and Slippery Rock on Wednesday, and definitely felt a distinction between the two atmospheres. The extra isolation of Moraine helped the play feel heightened, urgent, and "special," while the elements of SRU that you reference lent it the feeling of local club round, albeit one with some famous faces. I also felt like having two rounds at SRU in one day contributed to this feeling; I say this largely based on comments by and discussions I had with the players.
Even at Moraine, though, you had elements (the beach goers, the kids field trip) that were jarring up against an international disc golf championship. The sport's reliance on public land and public facilities is going to continue to create this kind of friction.
Off the OP's topic, I also felt that SRU was an inferior course for the tournament. There are practical reasons for this that couldn't be helped by the designers, but it's still frustrating. Many of the players I talked to about the course really disliked it, and not only for the openness: the blind shots, for example, were another raised issue. At the same time, I think you can make an argument that SRU offered a different kind of golf than Deer Lakes and Moraine, and that that variety itself is a positive thing to have in the tournament. It's an open course that the best in the game are capable of dominating, but it's not what I'd call an easy course, even for top pros: there is still room for disaster and scoring separation given the length, elevation, and occasional hazards. Tangentially, I also think it has some great holes: the final few are a great interplay between openness and the woods. So while I ultimately think you can knock it, I think the course also served its function within the tournament.
Even at Moraine, though, you had elements (the beach goers, the kids field trip) that were jarring up against an international disc golf championship. The sport's reliance on public land and public facilities is going to continue to create this kind of friction.
Off the OP's topic, I also felt that SRU was an inferior course for the tournament. There are practical reasons for this that couldn't be helped by the designers, but it's still frustrating. Many of the players I talked to about the course really disliked it, and not only for the openness: the blind shots, for example, were another raised issue. At the same time, I think you can make an argument that SRU offered a different kind of golf than Deer Lakes and Moraine, and that that variety itself is a positive thing to have in the tournament. It's an open course that the best in the game are capable of dominating, but it's not what I'd call an easy course, even for top pros: there is still room for disaster and scoring separation given the length, elevation, and occasional hazards. Tangentially, I also think it has some great holes: the final few are a great interplay between openness and the woods. So while I ultimately think you can knock it, I think the course also served its function within the tournament.