Wooded course, new players/kids in mind

[BCDan]

So, the a city of FSJ has 5 Disc Golf baskets that have been sitting in storage, and I have extra tonals, so I am thinking about making a mixed target 9 hole Course in a Park that borders an elementary school, and is within 1 mile of two other elementary schools, and 1 College.

In the center is a children's playground little area, so I've designed the course to be on the perimeter shooting away from it for the most part.

Here is a very rough layout design of a potential course, it's counter clockwise and you would park your vehicle from 93street .

Bottom Left is the Hockey rink and parking lot of the elementary school, and there is walking entrance to the park for them, so I could put a couple baskets down on the bottom left (southeast) and make the course go in a clockwise direction that heads back towards the school as well if need be.

I would like the course to have short and long tees.

*Note, The Tennis court is abandoned, I was almost thinking of making hole 4 shoot over it.

Any idea's thoughts? Example... Should I make it a 5 hole course with alternate teepads that make it play like a 10 hole course?

Big Course map, rough design

Advanced Hole 1 LARGE

Advanced Hole 2 LARGE

 

[DavidSauls]

What are the distances?

Hard to judge from the aerial, but it looks like RHBH players will just throw a big hyzer on #3. Which isn't necessarily a problem.

But are those ballfields for adults, or kids? And is there a fence separating the ballfields from the course? My thought is that the area near and above the #3 basket is one where kids will wander into from the field, where their parents can watch the games but still keep an eye on them.

My only other initial thought is that, if the tennis court is abandoned, why not dogleg #1 left, beyond the current basket, to the open area by the courts?

 

[KniceZ]

Most of these holes are REALLY short. Is your target audience the elementary school kids?

 

[BCDan]

Most of these holes are REALLY short. Is your target audience the elementary school kids?

Yes, target audience is elementary kids that are close to the park. As you can see hole 1 and 2 are longest holes (200feet avg) because they are more open than the rest. I am not against making the course a 5 or 7 hole course either.

I'm not worried about adults overshooting the other holes, since the course is wooded(but manicured). Also, nobody in this city has played Disc Golf before, so short 9 hole course is good start to get their feet wet, and hopefully that'll turn into a larger/longer course in the future when the economy and funding is available.

I've found even new adults are intimidated by 180 foot fairly open holes, so short/technical wooded holes should be good challenge but not intimidating.

I can always convert the course to a long 5 hole course or relocate it to the Toboggan Hill in the future.

I found Toboggan hill's holes would have to be 300+ to be mildly interesting, and the wooded/foliage areas are too dense, and I don't think I would be allowed to remove trees.

 

[BCDan]

What are the distances?

Hard to judge from the aerial, but it looks like RHBH players will just throw a big hyzer on #3. Which isn't necessarily a problem.

But are those ballfields for adults, or kids? And is there a fence separating the ballfields from the course? My thought is that the area near and above the #3 basket is one where kids will wander into from the field, where their parents can watch the games but still keep an eye on them.

My only other initial thought is that, if the tennis court is abandoned, why not dogleg #1 left, beyond the current basket, to the open area by the courts?

About the ball diamonds, if I had to guess, there is a fence....but I'll be up in the city again in a few days and do more testings and walk-throughs.

About creating a dogleg, that is a good idea, but then the first hole would be too long and possibly hard to find for new players. I wanted hole #1 to be straight forward to get the ball rolling.

I was thinking that spot by the tennis courts is good for a basket as well, and was going to put basket #2 there... but then I would lose hole #3, making it a 8 or 7 hole course. I'm not against 7 or 8 holes if they are more interesting and have more granularity, adaptable to short and long throwers.


Some wooded pics near South East end of course.

 

[greg_b_4]

it looks to me like there is plenty of room for those holes to be lengthened. If you are bound and determined to have shorter holes but two tees per hole just make those front tees the shortness you want. Even though the area is very new to disc golf it doesn't have the learning curve that traditional golf has and those players will be begging for length soon.

 

[sisyphus]

I wouldn't worry at all about setting it up as a short nine at first, and looking for challenging 'long' pin positions 30 to 50 feet further as it gets played in...then considering 'long' tee positions on slightly different lines 50 or more feet back from the originals. Won't get you 'big arm' shots, but huge replayability with up to four layouts.

 

[BCDan]

I wouldn't worry at all about setting it up as a short nine at first, and looking for challenging 'long' pin positions 30 to 50 feet further as it gets played in...then considering 'long' tee positions on slightly different lines 50 or more feet back from the originals. Won't get you 'big arm' shots, but huge replayability with up to four layouts.

Thanks for your feedback. I think you're in agreement with me...?

Are you saying I should design it to be a short 9 hole course for kids first then expand teepads and pin positions as player skill increases? That is what I was thinking.

The wooded area has enough diversity where I could easily move the pin position 10 or 20 feet further back or tucked in and make the hole a lot harder. I could also scope out longer teepad positions and show them to local adults I notice are throwing further, and post a map and place discrete markers on the course.

 

[BCDan]

it looks to me like there is plenty of room for those holes to be lengthened. If you are bound and determined to have shorter holes but two tees per hole just make those front tees the shortness you want. Even though the area is very new to disc golf it doesn't have the learning curve that traditional golf has and those players will be begging for length soon.

I think the holes will be longer than they appear, the "teepads" on that map are like 30 feet long, lol. I used Windows paint. I think the average length of holes will be about 175 feet at first, and then i'll come up with super 6 course and/or long teepad and pin positions as skill levels increase with the local players.

 

[sisyphus]

Thanks for your feedback. I think you're in agreement with me...?

Are you saying I should design it to be a short 9 hole course for kids first then expand teepads and pin positions as player skill increases? That is what I was thinking.

The wooded area has enough diversity where I could easily move the pin position 10 or 20 feet further back or tucked in and make the hole a lot harder. I could also scope out longer teepad positions and show them to local adults I notice are throwing further, and post a map and place discrete markers on the course.

Excellent!

As folks play the course, the 'edges' will get 'weathered in', regardless of the skill levels. You'll see a cooler idea for a basket position that will make you excited to try something new or more challenging (sounds like you're already there!), and a second basket sleeve may be the cheapest way to bring variety to the course.

Odds are, you'll have a broader skill set in your audience if they come back to check out the new challenge. You might even try holding an event there, but want to try longer tee positions for the more skilled players, and voila!

Of course the kids who do develop better skills will appreciate having the options. But don't be surprised when somebody with a real big skill set goes in there and starts playing 'safari golf' either. They might just throw a shot you didn't know was possible!