What do you make of this tee area?

[elmexdela]

This is the problem with fools designing courses.
Sure, you got a course in... but it can be counterproductive in the long run.

You don't need to be a thousand meter player to design a course safely. You just need to be intelligent, and respect that "we don't own the park."

just because you can doesnt mean you should

 

[Casey 1988]

If that path is at all used by non-discers then that hole needs a total redesign. Asking players to throw a blind anny directly down a walking path is an accident waiting to happen.

Hole is 170 feet. This course could be from a slower disc era, say before beveled edge discs with only additions over the years to tee pad is the sign in the late 1990's to early 2000's. So that would mean that Safety was only a consideration when building a course, not a requirement due to using non bevel edged discs.

 

[Casey 1988]

The lead "course designer" of Bethesda Park (whose rating never topped 820 and was sub-800 rated at the time he "designed" this course (with a buddy who was likewise sub-800 rated)) (still) works for Durham Parks and Rec and convinced his bosses that he was a "pro" and was better qualified to design courses than anyone else in the area (including the DG HOFer Carlton Howard, who designed Buckhorn, Cedarock, was instrumental in the initial design of Kentwood, Valley Springs, and the redesign of Cedar Hills following Hurricane Fran, and was a consultant for UNC and Zebulon). Fortunately, Bethesda and the $40k cluster-"mess" he made of Leigh Farm thoroughly disabused them of his qualifications. Unfortunately, it also turned DP&R off of further investment in disc golf.

Loyd Weema?

 

[Casey 1988]

Hole is 170 feet. This course could be from a slower disc era, say before beveled edge discs with only additions over the years to tee pad is the sign in the late 1990's to early 2000's. So that would mean that Safety was only a consideration when building a course, not a requirement due to using non bevel edged discs.

Disregard this post. I found out this course was made much later.

 

[kenjiac]

It shouldn't be an issue AT ALL.

Shouldn't doesn't mean won't. Safety first. Blind shot on walking path is bad design.

 

[Jay Dub]

Disregard this post.

We didn't need to be told.

 

[Countchunkula]

Rather than looking at it from the perspective that assumes most players will act responsibly, we need to understand that some percentage won't. Even if that's a small percentage, the designer needs to do everything they can to reduce the opportunities for irresponsible behavior to lead to injury or property damage.

This looks like a fun hole to play, but still bad design. As kenjiac says above, safety first.

 

[Golden Tuna]

In my opinion all courses/holes need to be designed with the least common denominator in mind.

Designers need to be able to envision the worst possible outcome when designing a hole. There are so many issues with this hole, I can't imaging anyone approving it...

Even though it's <200' downhill hole, someone will throw a speed 12+ disc, so the hole should be removed entirely. I know that was't the question, but this context does impact my answer.

With a blind shot that (could) hit anther park user, you need to trim those trees as much as possible to help avoid safety issues.

 

[philstine]

Shouldn't doesn't mean won't. Safety first. Blind shot on walking path is bad design.

Either you misunderstood what I mean or I didn't make my meaning as clear as I thought, or maybe a bit of both.

My point wasn't that the hole isn't, or may not be, "a huge big issue"; it's that it should never have had a chance to become an issue to begin with because the hole (and holes like it) should never be put in in the first place.

And, no, Rastnav, the fact that the park currently isn't used much and the bridge is "only" used by disc golfers and ropes course users isn't a valid reason to excuse unsafe design.

 

[elmexdela]

also at least around here even if its a dg public park that doesnt stop non dgers from walking and enjoying nature

 

[araytx]

A) Who knows? Or technically no, because there is nothing to indicate OB in this course. But there isn't much indication of anything on this course.
B) if you mean lay-up putt to the "green", I'm, unfortunately, not James Conrad and I can't any putt 170 feet.
C) but I think you mean to other side of the path from the tee? So, the tee shot would be a 10 foot putt? That open it up a little, but then you would be wanting to likely throw a a touch flex forehand? Not my strength. Higher percentage play for par is probably to make sure it anhyzers into the woods right of the basket. In any case, I don't think designing a hole for a 10 foot tee shot is ... right?

Yes. Now I'd have to practice the hole, but I'd likely choose c -- and 10 -20 foot layup putt to get me to the best spot in that green area on the other side of the path for a dead straight shot. I don't need a flex forehand. Dead straight for a 200' gives me a 25' auto-par.

 

[zontar]

I've played this when visiting by son. yes! leave the tree! It's more playable than it looks in the pic. I made par the first time and didn't really have a great day otherwise....

 

[Casey 1988]

We didn't need to be told.

Nah not for most people, this was strictly for Streets so he would not need to comment on an obvious mistake, he finds all of my mistakes little or big like this one. I think he is trying to find them on purpose to try and see if I do something that gets me ban.

 

[Jay Dub]

Nah not for most people, this was strictly for Streets so he would not need to comment on an obvious mistake, he finds all of my mistakes little or big like this one. I think he is trying to find them on purpose to try and see if I do something that gets me ban.

Nothing you post is banable, Casey. Just ignore Streets even though I know he rides your ass for some reason.

 

[Dingus]

What a terrible hole. Paved walkway for a fairway, short and easy, bad teepad; this hole has nothing going for it. Go back to the drawing board.

You should have the first tee start up next to the ropes course fence and throw along it. You could even keep the current #1 basket as a practice basket.

Edit: Holy hell, I just looked at the course pics and someone buried the basket in a hole. WTF??? So no you can't use it as a practice basket, remove and fill that stupid hole.

 

[araytx]

What a terrible hole. Paved walkway for a fairway, short and easy, bad teepad; this hole has nothing going for it. Go back to the drawing board.

You should have the first tee start up next to the ropes course fence and throw along it. You could even keep the current #1 basket as a practice basket.

Edit: Holy hell, I just looked at the course pics and someone buried the basket in a hole. WTF??? So no you can't use it as a practice basket, remove and fill that stupid hole.

But then the question we always come back to. Is it better than no hole at all? (let's assume for argument's purpose the city folks wanted to design their own course and local disc golfers have no input, no say-so.)