Two Courses in Rolla, MO

[odysseus81]

Any updates Moose? I was out there briefly yesterday....yikes the weeds are getting pretty rough. We need to have a weedeater party out there or something. Looks like there has been progress on 14.

 

[MooseT]

Sorry for the lack of communication... things have been crazy and much has been going on in the background.

Course has been brush hogged, and we have a member going through with a DR mower in the roughs.

Be aware this week there will likely be some heavy equipment on the course to help resolve some issues which have thus far made it difficult to maintain the course. I don't have a firm time since this work is being done on a volunteer basis and isn't being contracted. The hope is to smooth the fairways more, dig out any stumps, fix the culverts to better accommodate a mower, and to widen paths that may not currently be able to accommodate a mower/bush hog). We were also discussing several dead trees, especially around holes 7 and 8 which need to be removed.

The current plan after this is done is to have a crew come in which we may soon have at our disposal to rake the course and get any branches and stuff cleaned off the ground. We also hope to be able to seed any areas which we believe will accommodate grass.

In about a week or two we will begin receiving mulch which will begin to go down on the trails. At this time, the committee has chosen to not mulch the fairways. We are reading feedback and want to see how the maintenance of the course is affected without it at this time.

We are holding off on a work day until after the heavy equipment has been in to do what they can do with the ground. I would like to have one shortly after S&T is back in session.

To sum it up, because of what we have lined out in the short run, i don't think I am ready to call a work day until i am positive I know what work still needs to be done. I do know we have a lot of trimming to do, but anticipate that being done with pole saws. I am thinking this will be done preceding a work day which would then be focused on going hole to hole in clean up mode. It would be great to have a ton of disc golfers out for that providing input and feedback on each hole as we go through.

 

[odysseus81]

Moose--I was starting to worry about you man. I am glad to hear you guys are getting in there and cleaning it up. It was getting really rough in the woods....and I was worried because I was in Columbia this weekend at one of their courses and a few guys had been out to LC recently with negative comments on the condition. I just don't want it to develop a bad reputation in the immediate area. I assured them they need to come back in 2 months or so. I think I had them convinced =)

Personally, I am glad you are keeping the mulch off the fairways for now. That can always be done later and I think there are many things that need more immediate attention. Everything else sounds great.

I am really looking forward to playing out there after it is cleaned up. No big deal on the work day..I am not dying to work in 100 degree weather if we don't have to. Surely it is gonna cool down here soon.

Has there been any progress on the tee sign front? Where do things stand with the first set of concrete tee pads (from a timeframe standpoint)?

One final suggestion would be that something be done with the PVC sticking out the tops of the baskets. Maybe paint them bright orange or put bright flags on them. If the goal of those is to help people locate the baskets better from the tee, either of those things would go a long ways towards enhancing it.

 

[andrewkh]

thats awesome but a little late. got stuck in rolla a few times in the past for a couple days and would have loved to have had something to do.....who knows...maybe i'll be back threw that way again someday

 

[MooseT]

updates

The TEE pads have always been the plan for late fall to allow for some place before putting down 18 huge chunks of concrete which can't be moved.

The PVC will go away once we have the 2nd pins dug, and the sleeves placed. Those, at this time, are lower priority to other work.

I assume you are referring to the graphical TEE signs when you refer to the TEE sign front. I haven't had a chance to talk to the person responsible for those graphics, but we do need to make sure we have everything, including the 2nd holes in their final places before we can create those.

Without having an unlimited budget, we are at the mercy of all of our volunteer schedules. The last month has been riddled with staggered vacations and HOT weather. Once we get the course ground work done, we should be able to turn the mowing over to our regular park staff. Once that is done, our committee can stop worrying about that part of the course. This will make the maintenance independant of our volunteer schedules.

In addition to work stated, over the last month, an additional 56 trees have been removed to accommodate for improvements and preparing for 2nd pin placement. Those stumps too need to come out.... hopefully this will happen this week when all the other ground work is done.

I will be able to say more once this ground work has been completed.

 

[MooseT]

Trimming on 2

In preparation for the ground work being done this week, I went ahead and did some branch trimming on 2 to make it a little less tight getting into the woods tonight.

 

[odysseus81]

Sounds great...I didn't realize you had taken out another 56 trees...that is awesome. I am looking forward to getting out there this weekend and seeing the progress. I am sure it will be a huge load off you guys to turn the groundskeeping over.

It wasn't a big deal with the tee pads...I was just curious if you guys are still on place to put this in when you had initially projected (late fall). The reason I brought up the tee signs was because one of the people in Columbia mentioned them specifically.

You guys are great. Thanks

 

[odysseus81]

Heading out to LC tonight. Looking forward to seeing all the progress....

 

[odysseus81]

It is really looking good out there. You guys really got some things done last week. I am impressed with how much more spacious it feels. There is room to overthrow baskets because you pushed back all the bramble in places. 14 was a major improvement. I like the tree being gone on 18's tee as well. The walking paths were huge and very smooth. Persoanlly, I am a little unsure of #2. It feels like a really similar hole to 9---just shorter, but I have only played it that one time from the new pin position. It may age like a fine wine the more I go out there. Overall I think the course is really coming along.

You would be happy to know that there were quite a few guys out there playing last night. At least 8 cars when we were there. Obviously people are responding to the work being done. Any updates?

Thanks Moose!

 

[cooktastic]

Yeah...I agree...the work to clear out some of the underbrush that was pushed off the fairways really improves the playability of the course. The new smoothed fairways and larger walking paths are really nice too. Cleaning up the greens by making them bigger was one of the better things you got done out there in my opinion. Keep up the good work...really enjoying the course.

 

[MooseT]

Additional smoothing on the fairways is taking place this week. hopefully will have stobs and roots out by end of the week. At this time, I am thinking about a work day for Sunday the 29th.... anybody on here able to make it if I set one up for that day? The goal for that day is to clean up 10 feet out on either side of the fairways where we havn't yet and to get any brush, logs, twigs, up and out of the roughs. Basically to make the course less of a disc eater. Although pole saws, pruners/clippers and rakes would be a great help, the main thing we need is bodies to get the stuff out of your way when you play.

I will watch this for feedback and will let you know if we can pull this together.

Thanks,
James

 

[Three Putt]

I don't think I have anything going on that day, so I should be out there.

 

[odysseus81]

Unfortunately, we are going to be in branson till wednesday of the following week on vacation so I will be gone. Sorry man.

 

[MooseT]

I am able to get the committee together on the 29th. therefore, we are scheduled to work on Sunday August 29th starting at 8:00 am. Please spread the word and come out whenever you can that morning. I am not sure of an end time. It looks to be a cooler day so far (mid 80s) so we will work until we feel we need to quit for the day. Please be prepared to move brush and sticks. Additionally any lopping shears, or saws that can be used for trimming low branches and cutting saplings down to the ground in the roughs will be helpful. The larger the group we get, the more we will get done.

Thanks,
James

 

[MooseT]

The work day at the Rolla Lions Disc Golf course will go from 8:00 to 5:00.... If you can't be there at 8:00, please come out when you can.

 

[odysseus81]

How did it go yesterday? Decent turnout?

 

[Three Putt]

I was out there in the morning and the turnout was pretty light. Hopefully some more folks came out in the afternoon.

 

[odysseus81]

The course looks great. Played yesterday and I am thrilled with where things are. As far as i am concerned, the course is ready for the first set of concrete tees. I am very happy with all of the primary pin locations and tee pad positions.

I haven't heard any criticism in a long time about the courses layout.

 

[dahig]

leaving centralia,il. wed. in route to tulsa. plan on stopping in to play wed. morning,somewhere around 8:00.
any scorecards/maps at the park?

 

[odysseus81]

There are scorecards in the mailbox when you first get there. The course is very easy to navigate...but there are no tee signs yet. I think you will be glad you came by. I wish I could play a round with you, but I have to work.