Fair or foul?

[Sadjo]

A new Fair or Foul

These two pictures are taken at the Piedmont Tree Nursery in Salem, SC. My boys' Scout Troop leases the property once in the Spring and once in the Fall each year for a Scout Camping Trip. We normally set up 9 Travelers for the scouts.

In 2014 I'm planning a Disc Golf event there called The Oconee Jam. Players that have seen the pictures say we have to have at least one hole playing the entire straight row of trees. They say it would be EPIC!

As you can see from the two pictures (one taken from where the tee would be and the other from about a 3rd of the way down to where we had a Traveler during the scout weekend.) The alley way is tight and the distance is long...about 385' from end to end.

Fair or Foul?

 

[JR Stengele]

more than fair.

 

[Dave242]

Fair or foul for what level of player?

If my proportions are correct, it looks like about ~12' wide corridor. One thing that makes it "effectively narrower" is the pine needle floor - big skips for any shot landing with any fade.

For those that can reach 385' it with a routine drive, it seems much too narrow to hold any intrigue. I think it would be a boring/frustrating hole for them as it is either a drive landing in putting range (too small a percentage of the time), so all that is left for variation is an easy/boring recovery shot.

For those that throw 240' accurately, it seems more interesting. 75% power controlled approach gets you 180, with a 100' approach remaining (I would prefer more like a 65-75% power approach - 170').

IMO, this 12' corridor could make a cool 2-throw hole if it is made up of two 75% throws. That way, it makes the player decide how much they want to bite off on the drive to yield an easier approach.

 

[Sadjo]

Fair or foul for what level of player?


If my proportions are correct, it looks like about ~12' wide corridor. One thing that makes it "effectively narrower" is the pine needle floor - big skips for any shot landing with any fade.

For those that can reach 385' it with a routine drive, it seems much too narrow to hold any intrigue. I think it would be a boring/frustrating hole for them as it is either a drive landing in putting range (too small a percentage of the time), so all that is left for variation is an easy/boring recovery shot.

For those that throw 240' accurately, it seems more interesting. 75% power controlled approach gets you 180, with a 100' approach remaining (I would prefer more like a 65-75% power approach - 170').

IMO, this 12' corridor could make a cool 2-throw hole if it is made up of two 75% throws. That way, it makes the player decide how much they want to bite off on the drive to yield an easier approach.

The event will be one tee for all divisions. *As a temp course set up, the amount of work to get two tees or more per hole isn't in the cards.

It doesn't interest me much at all. I like having a pin placement in the trees and have the tee a hundred or more outside of the trees. I think trying to hit your spot might be more of a challenge than trying to play right down the center.

I also think a tee inside the trees with the first 50-100 feet be straight out the shoot would be fun.

I just wonder if we don't give players the option to play that 385' down the trees if they'll be disappointed.

 

[Jimb]

The event will be one tee for all divisions. *As a temp course set up, the amount of work to get two tees or more per hole isn't in the cards.

It doesn't interest me much at all. I like having a pin placement in the trees and have the tee a hundred or more outside of the trees. I think trying to hit your spot might be more of a challenge than trying to play right down the center.

I also think a tee inside the trees with the first 50-100 feet be straight out the shoot would be fun.

I just wonder if we don't give players the option to play that 385' down the trees if they'll be disappointed.

How wide it that total area? Is there enough room to have the "signature" hole along with other holes using the same grove of trees?

I have an alternate hole on my private course that does one of your ideas. It's a very narrow gap for about 100' before opening up. Make it out of the tree line and you're in good shape. Catch a tree early (on this normally short hole) and you might be in jail for good (or bad).

 

[bholy08]

I have played this type of hole. Not as fun, or as challenging as you would think. There is a lane for the 2nd shot no matter where you land from your drive. Now it takes skill to get the birdie but not a tough 3. Definitely Fair for any skill level. Show the weaker players the need to learn straight shots.

 

[UnitedPuppySlayer]

How fair apart are the trees? I think this is more than fair, but I'm used to playing this bitch of a hole...

 

[Steve West]

I just wonder if we don't give players the option to play that 385' down the trees if they'll be disappointed.

They don't need to play the whole length for it to be epic. Start in the trees, finish in the trees. It will feel tighter and more enclosed than throwing in one end and out the other.

Then, cheat the distances, 50 feet in from the start, 50 feet in from the other end, and you have a 285 foot hole. That'll be epic enough.

You can also leave some room at the end to blast out of the trees.

 

[Sadjo]

They don't need to play the whole length for it to be epic. Start in the trees, finish in the trees. It will feel tighter and more enclosed than throwing in one end and out the other.

Then, cheat the distances, 50 feet in from the start, 50 feet in from the other end, and you have a 285 foot hole. That'll be epic enough.

You can also leave some room at the end to blast out of the trees.

This property will allow up to 4 holes using this particular area. It's 385' one direction and about 350' in the other. The trees are about 15' in each direction.

I like the idea of a shorter hole starting and stopping in the trees.

 

[oldguy]

Another Fair or Foul Idea

I'm thinking about creating a basket location at the very edge of a small cliff. The location in question is the small rectangle farthest to the left in this picture.

The distance to the basket is 363', and it is a white level course. There is a landing area short of the basket. This is the image taken from basket location B, which is about 90' short of location C.

This is the view from the base of the cliff looking up to the basket, about 15'.

So, is this location fair or foul?

 

[dandaman]

I'm thinking about creating a basket location at the very edge of a small cliff. The location in question is the small rectangle farthest to the left in this picture.

The distance to the basket is 363', and it is a white level course.
So, is this location fair or foul?

I think that is the key words here. As long as it safe to get down from near the basket, and a disc is relatively easy to retrieve I think that this is fair. Remember player safety though...Of course if there is already a hole there it looks like the cliff already is in play anyway...so go for it!

 

[mashnut]

The basket location is great, but the distance seems a little long for a white level course if you want people to actually bring the dropoff into play on the drive. A little shorter shot will really make that cliff a risk/reward decision that doesn't just lead to a lot of 300' drives, lame layups and mostly 3s for that level player.

 

[Sadjo]

I played a hole Sunday that has a similar situation. You play along a creek about 140'. If you're short, you have a putt with a 15-20' drop into the creek. I ended up down in the creek on Sunday and spent 20 minutes using a Golden Retriever to fish my disc out of the water...as there was no real easy way to get down to the water's edge.

So i like the idea of that hole but wonder if my disc goes over, will I be able to get it back easily or not?

 

[mashnut]

I was assuming since a picture was taken looking up at the basket that it wasn't too difficult to get down there, and it looked like a dry dropoff so it's not causing a bunch of lost discs.

 

[rd.bittle]

That seems fair. Looks like a hole that I would love. Might gain a stroke on my longer throwing but inconsistent brother-in-law.

 

[rd.bittle]

These two pictures are taken at the Piedmont Tree Nursery in Salem, SC. My boys' Scout Troop leases the property once in the Spring and once in the Fall each year for a Scout Camping Trip. We normally set up 9 Travelers for the scouts.

In 2014 I'm planning a Disc Golf event there called The Oconee Jam. Players that have seen the pictures say we have to have at least one hole playing the entire straight row of trees. They say it would be EPIC!

As you can see from the two pictures (one taken from where the tee would be and the other from about a 3rd of the way down to where we had a Traveler during the scout weekend.) The alley way is tight and the distance is long...about 385' from end to end.

Fair or Foul?

More than fair. I love this kind of shot. But then, risk/reward is very important for me to like a course/hols.

 

[aPfaff]

So I just got here and skimmed through a lot of it. I agree with the sentiment that it's not the distance that's really the problem from the blue tee, it's the gap on the far side that possibly makes it unfair. You could cross it only to hit a limb and bounce back. I can't really tell how wide that gap is but I'd say it would need to be in the 80'+ range.

I will say this, #25 at Flyboy is a very similar hole to this one with the exception that it has no trees on the far side of the water to go around. It's around 380 to cross the water and the tee is slightly elevated. It also gives you a bailout to the left but again there's no trees on the bank to navigate. While there I saw people not make it but I also saw some people make it.

Walnut Creek #18 in Va also has a close to 400' water carry except the bailout is on the right. Though that hole also has trees on the bank and the gap is possibly even smaller than the one you have. I've deuced both of those holes and I can say that making the carry was extremely exciting and I think the hole you have designed there would also give that thrill... unless you hit a tree and bounce back.

At Walnut did you deuce long 18 or short?