What I notice about the Holes of the Day

[Lewis]

Since college I've only played disc golf in my home state, Georgia. I have been surprised by a few things after watching the Hole of the Day thread for the past year or so.

The first thing that surprises me is how open so many of the courses are around the country. The second is how tough some of the North Carolina courses seem to be, with those tiny little fairways between that near-jungle foliage. The third thing that surprises me is how many of the photos on the HOD have roads, even major roads, right up next to the fairways.

All this makes me feel really good about my local courses. It looks like the South in general, including the ATL, stacks up pretty well vs. the glimpses I see from around the country.

I'm curious what others' reactions are.

 

[MrFixIt]

I tend to agree w/ your assesment. However, being from GA also, perhaps I am slightly biased .

Having said that, I haven't actually visited the thread in a while. Seemed to me that most of them were from up north, from Texas, etc.

 

[vonDrehle]

I have noticed there seem to be a lot of open holes out there that appear pretty boring. I would take a nice technical wooded course in NC over a open all holes 800ft+ with no trees course. And not to offend other places but I have found that NC seems to have a lot more competition. (This is coming off 3 states played during tourneys) The tourney I won in SC a few years until the last round (where I blew up) I had about a 10 stroke lead over a 21 person field. My rounds were only rated 949, 919, and 908.

(Runs and hides from people not from NC)

 

[scarpfish]

So its official. Most courses outside Georgia and the Carolinas suck, and that fact can be confirmed by three guys from that area, all with less than 40 courses played each (and almost all of them home area courses) just be looking at pictures on the internet.


I mean I could suggest you guys travel a bit, and perhaps go play these "boring" courses, particularly on a day when the wind (that thing still photos don't capture too well) is howling 35+ MPH, and then make an assessment, but hey, why waste the gas money when you already live in paradise.

Yeah, where's the "I'm not worthy" smiley. We could use one.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

Ok, I'll chime in. Having played much of the country (I still have large areas I have not played but hope to get to soon, the entire west coast I have not played, and I have not played anything in the Northeast quarter of the country) Of the areas that I have played, the Carolinas/Georgia area did have the highest concentration of quality courses that I've seen. The upper midwest compares fairly well though (Iowa/Wisconsin/Minnesota) in quality courses in concentration. KY/IN/IL area also compares quite well.

How is the HOD chosen? Is it completely randomized? Or is there some quality control going on?

For every top quality course I play, I play about 10 middle quality and 5 low quality courses, If I take that as a general representation of the country, there's a good chance that the HOD is going to be less than stellar if it's completely random.

My take on the HOD is often times I see holes that I've played, or pictures that I've taken, that makes me smile. Or if I see a cool looking picture of a course that I haven't played, I take mental note of it and add it to the wishlist.

 

[billnchristy]

It does help explain why a lot of the people on this site are crazy about distance and us GA/SC/NC people are like Meh, gimme a straight 250-300' shot any day.

 

[weeman]

How is the HOD chosen? Is it completely randomized? Or is there some quality control going on?

I've wondered that myself. I haven't been on the site long enough to notice a trend.

I have noticed there seem to be a lot of open holes out there that appear pretty boring. I would take a nice technical wooded course in NC over a open all holes 800ft+ with no trees course.

Open holes can have a boring feel to them if you're only use to playing wooded courses. Wooded courses leave little room for error but open courses can make you focus more because of the large amount of space you have for error. Having a 100 foot wide fairway with minimal trees may seem more boring than a 15 foot wide avenue but would you card the same score on a 350 foot hole with opposite features. You've got all this spare space in which to land that you may not be able to judge what's really a good shot against a bad shot until you get to your lie. Its all a mental game on how you'd approach one type of hole versus another.

 

[Technohic]

Ok, I'll chime in. Having played much of the country (I still have large areas I have not played but hope to get to soon, the entire west coast I have not played, and I have not played anything in the Northeast quarter of the country) Of the areas that I have played, the Carolinas/Georgia area did have the highest concentration of quality courses that I've seen. The upper midwest compares fairly well though (Iowa/Wisconsin/Minnesota) in quality courses in concentration. KY/IN/IL area also compares quite well.

How is the HOD chosen? Is it completely randomized? Or is there some quality control going on?

For every top quality course I play, I play about 10 middle quality and 5 low quality courses, If I take that as a general representation of the country, there's a good chance that the HOD is going to be less than stellar if it's completely random.

My take on the HOD is often times I see holes that I've played, or pictures that I've taken, that makes me smile. Or if I see a cool looking picture of a course that I haven't played, I take mental note of it and add it to the wishlist.

HOD is the home page photo, which is random, but TimG will change it if the pic is less than worthy to be the opening page of the site.

It does help explain why a lot of the people on this site are crazy about distance and us GA/SC/NC people are like Meh, gimme a straight 250-300' shot any day.

I play some courses to where the NC courses don't intimidate me much usually except the one today would be pretty tough. 450'+ and tightly wooded, but at least it would likely be tough for all arms. Its the open ones I see that are really long and I know that I can't hang with the big arms who were just given a big green light to throw as wild as they need to get all the way down there that makes me want to be able to do so as well.

 

[AdamE]

So its official. Most courses outside Georgia and the Carolinas suck, and that fact can be confirmed by three guys from that area, all with less than 40 courses played each (and almost all of them home area courses) just be looking at pictures on the internet.


I mean I could suggest you guys travel a bit, and perhaps go play these "boring" courses, particularly on a day when the wind (that thing still photos don't capture too well) is howling 35+ MPH, and then make an assessment, but hey, why waste the gas money when you already live in paradise.

Yeah, where's the "I'm not worthy" smiley. We could use one.

I didn't know so much sarcasm could be packed into one message! I really needed a good laugh today

It does seem like that area of the country has some quality courses and I hope to hit some of them up. But there are plenty of other areas of the country with great courses also.

 

[cmcolomb]

I will second the GA notion.. Great DG there, lived in ATL for 2 years and enjoyed all the courses in the area. Definitely a good state for dg

 

[cmcolomb]

It does help explain why a lot of the people on this site are crazy about distance and us GA/SC/NC people are like Meh, gimme a straight 250-300' shot any day.

Good observation Bill. You always have the keen eye and other ways of looking at things!

 

[MrFixIt]

So its official. Most courses outside Georgia and the Carolinas suck, and that fact can be confirmed by three guys from that area, all with less than 40 courses played each (and almost all of them home area courses) just be looking at pictures on the internet.


I mean I could suggest you guys travel a bit, and perhaps go play these "boring" courses, particularly on a day when the wind (that thing still photos don't capture too well) is howling 35+ MPH, and then make an assessment, but hey, why waste the gas money when you already live in paradise.

Yeah, where's the "I'm not worthy" smiley. We could use one.

I never said that any of the courses "sucked" that are listed on the thread page.
As far as travelling, I don't have to go very far to play championship caliber courses.
As far as wind, do you not think that the wind blows in GA? Right now, the wind is gusting at over 30 mph.

Why don't you come on down to our neck of the woods, (I know I would love to travel to yours) and see what you think then. (for lack of a "I'm not worthy smiley)

 

[DiscJunkie]

Generally NC courses are variations of wooded and tightly wooded. This is a function of some of our most influential designers.
However, there are a few open courses to be played.

Personally, I enjoy both types of courses and I enjoy a course better when it has a mix of open and wooded. After playing my home course (Castle Hayne, Wilmington, NC) for two years, I noticed that I was very poor at playing in windy conditions. I have since tried to round out my game by playing more open courses occasionally and my wind play has improved as a result.

 

[craftsman]

Being from an area new to wide open courses, I have to say that I find them harder then wooded courses.

Why? Because I have an easier time keepin up throwing straight 300ish comet shots down tight fairs. To keep up on open courses, big d, bigg putts, and no mistakes ar needed.

 

[JoeDubb]

There are good courses everywhere, you just have to play them all.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

There are good courses everywhere, you just have to play them all.

Working on it

 

[Jukeshoe]

So its official. Most courses outside Georgia and the Carolinas suck, and that fact can be confirmed by three guys from that area, all with less than 40 courses played each (and almost all of them home area courses) just be looking at pictures on the internet.


I mean I could suggest you guys travel a bit, and perhaps go play these "boring" courses, particularly on a day when the wind (that thing still photos don't capture too well) is howling 35+ MPH, and then make an assessment, but hey, why waste the gas money when you already live in paradise.

Yeah, where's the "I'm not worthy" smiley. We could use one.

Yes, wind makes those "boring open holes" a completely different beast.

 

[bthoma1]

A lot of good courses in the Northwest, also some solid ones in KC area wooded and open alike

 

[S.Cann]

It does help explain why a lot of the people on this site are crazy about distance and us GA/SC/NC people are like Meh, gimme a straight 250-300' shot any day.

Yes! This^

 

[the_lung]

I mean I could suggest you guys travel a bit, and perhaps go play these "boring" courses, particularly on a day when the wind (that thing still photos don't capture too well) is howling 35+ MPH, and then make an assessment

This is a very good point. In my home state of Pennsylvania, it's rare to have significant and sustained winds, and open holes can often be fairly boring. But once I started to traveling to my company's plant in Wichita, Kansas I quickly saw just how frustrating even a 425 ft. open hole can be...20+ mph sustained crosswinds and headwinds especially can be a nightmare.