USDGC Course Layout...TOUGH!

[Three Putt]

I'm not really familiar with artificial OB/Mandos. What are some other things that are used besides signs mentioned before?

They have an "island" hole that's not really an island. They put hay bales around the green with the lake on the backside and you have to get your shot past the hay bales or you are OB. Of course if you go deep you are wet and OB. So it plays like an island, but it's not really and island. They also use a lot of yellow rope to define fairways, and if you come to a rest on the wrong side of the rope you are OB. It tightens things up quite a bit and makes accuracy key over pure D.

 

[Ryan P.]

They even have red rope, which is a true OB. If you go past the red rope, you have to rethrow from the same spot. With the yellow ropes, you can throw from where you went OB. The entire course is around a lake and streams. There's also some tennis court and baseball fence that comes into play on a couple of holes, as well as a baseball out of bounds pole.

 

[Mattallica]

To be honest I'm not a big fan of Rock Hill. Don't get me wrong it's a nice course but 99% of the time it is much easier because the ropes aren't layed down. The times I played it I didn't leave saying "WOW, that was awesome!" I would rather see them try a USDGC on one of the Charlotte Courses. That might just be me though.

I completely agree. So much wasted space at Winthrop, but it's not wasted when there's thousands there to watch.

 

[Swisher Streets]

Already registered to TodoCast to watch the action tomorrow.. should be awesome!

 

[vonDrehle]

lol are they going to have a live webcast of them practicing? If anyone else plans on going I am most likely going to be down Friday and Saturday, that is if my friend gets back to me about going I don't to go down alone lol. But I will be wearing something NC State and carrying a camera with a big lens.

 

[Dave242]

lol are they going to have a live webcast of them practicing?

Actually Monday qualifiers are going on. 5 spots are up for grabs to the lowest scores carded. Anyone can try to get in. $50 for the first try and $25 for all subsequent tries. You can DNF a round any time you want and start over.

It is actually very action packed and high tension. I helped to run it and also did online live scoring for this for a few years, so if they do have live video coverage that is a big step up. (Unfortunately we normally only had about 100 folks following the live action online.)

 

[Dave242]

To be honest I'm not a big fan of Rock Hill. Don't get me wrong it's a nice course but 99% of the time it is much easier because the ropes aren't layed down. The times I played it I didn't leave saying "WOW, that was awesome!" I would rather see them try a USDGC on one of the Charlotte Courses. That might just be me though.

I am not a big fan of Winthrop Gold either. It is a great challenge for the players and a great venue to spectate, so that is not the reason.

For me, true disc golf is about the challenge and beauty of skilled players making discs fly through the airspace the course offers. It is a measure of precisely controlling the flight of the disc. The intrique of DG is all about what happens to the disc while it is in the air.

The intrigue of ball golf has much more to do with what happens when the ball lands. Sure, there is some shot shaping required at times, but the critical aspect most of the time is getting the ball to not land in the wrong spots. Putting is all about navigating the terrain of the green - on the ground.

Winthrop is much more like ball golf in that it there is not much intrique in the actual flight path on most of the holes. The intrique is much more about where the disc lands - usually having to do with the yellow ropes or pavement. So, Winthrop tests the ability to precisely land a disc, not precisely fly the disc.

 

[Swisher Streets]

Would anyone thats going be willing to pick me up a tournament disc?

 

[vonDrehle]

Nice I forgot about the qualifiers.

Swisher right now I'm about 75% sure I will be going so if I do I can pick you up something. Just let me know what you want. If I get one of the free ones for being one of the first to get tickets or whatever I can send you mine because they are always Aviars and I'm a Wizard guy.

 

[chain-addicted]

AN AVIAR???!

Nice I forgot about the qualifiers.

Swisher right now I'm about 75% sure I will be going so if I do I can pick you up something. Just let me know what you want. If I get one of the free ones for being one of the first to get tickets or whatever I can send you mine because they are always Aviars and I'm a Wizard guy.

...I already have an Aviar! Dang.... I was hoping it would be at least an R-Pro Boss. Oh well....

 

[vonDrehle]

lol you can always buy one there. They tend to have some pretty cool dyes in the pro shop. But don't bring too much money with you it is easy to spend a lot lol.

 

[Swisher Streets]

Nice I forgot about the qualifiers.

Swisher right now I'm about 75% sure I will be going so if I do I can pick you up something. Just let me know what you want. If I get one of the free ones for being one of the first to get tickets or whatever I can send you mine because they are always Aviars and I'm a Wizard guy.

Are you going two days or just one? Anything would work, i can send you cash. If they have any special rocs you should hook me up!

 

[vonDrehle]

If I go I will most likely go 2 days but I can't be 100% on that. I've got to see if my buddy is going to go with me or not.

 

[chain-addicted]

lol you can always buy one there. They tend to have some pretty cool dyes in the pro shop. But don't bring too much money with you it is easy to spend a lot lol.

My wife will probably "pat me down" before I go to make sure I dont bring wads of cash to be buying extra discs!

Do you think there will be a Discraft rep down there as well (selling discs)?

 

[vonDrehle]

The USDGC is primarily an Innova sponsored tourney so I would be surprised if they had a tent. I also just checked the Sponsor page and Discraft isn't listed as a sponser, I believe they put most of their advertising dollars to the Worlds. However there is always a Revolution tent set up if you are interested in a new bag.

 

[osbogosley]

I am not a big fan of Winthrop Gold either. It is a great challenge for the players and a great venue to spectate, so that is not the reason.

For me, true disc golf is about the challenge and beauty of skilled players making discs fly through the airspace the course offers. It is a measure of precisely controlling the flight of the disc. The intrique of DG is all about what happens to the disc while it is in the air.

The intrigue of ball golf has much more to do with what happens when the ball lands. Sure, there is some shot shaping required at times, but the critical aspect most of the time is getting the ball to not land in the wrong spots. Putting is all about navigating the terrain of the green - on the ground.

Winthrop is much more like ball golf in that it there is not much intrique in the actual flight path on most of the holes. The intrique is much more about where the disc lands - usually having to do with the yellow ropes or pavement. So, Winthrop tests the ability to precisely land a disc, not precisely fly the disc.

Very good point. I don't think the younger generation ever threw a frisbee and learned to hyzer flip it and watch the unpredictable flight blow in the wind. I have always been facsinated with the flight and learned to get out of trouble with good up shots. When landing spots are blind and the penalty is extremely harsh good disc throwers turn into wimps that play borring safe shots. Is that what we want on TV?

 

[optidiscic]

DAVE242 I agree with you so much...while placement golf is an interesting component to a course it is not what DG is really all about. I prefer the creativity and intrigue of elevation and woods. There is a place for a big wide open holes with precise landings to set up putts etc. That is a test of skill that requires controlled power and harnessing the wind etc. But I think nuances and uniqueness of the woods and the ability to get out of/avoid trouble is far more interesting than drive and putt. I am not sure if the ball golf type course is more gallery friendly/camera friendly...thats an interesting idea. I think a good tournament will have all types of courses or a good course will have all types of holes.

 

[vonDrehle]

Well looks like I'm not going. My buddy pretty much said he would rather go to a sucky football game...

 

[sloppydisc]

USDGC

I am going to be in Columbia, SC on business on Thursday. I plan on stopping in on the way back Friday. I could grab something and meet you in Raleigh somewhere over the weekend. I will probably play Buckhorn or UNC at least once over the weekend. I am still a noodle-armed newby so I want to go watch 'real' players and see if I can learn anything. If I can't break my current distance plateau I'm going to throw my arm off trying.

 

[Three Putt]

Well looks like I'm not going. My buddy pretty much said he would rather go to a sucky football game...

I love disc golf and all, but I'd go to 1,000 sucky football games before I'd go watch somebody else play disc golf. I'd need an amphetamine breakfast with a constant caffeine I V drip to make it an hour without passing out from boredom.