Course design gripes and ideas

[Clonefan94]

I think part of the problem of comparing ball par to disc par is that most ball pars are based on two puts. A par 4 for example. You are expected to be on the green in 2 and 2 put for par. Disc golf seems to be a little different in that respect. We don't have greens that truly dictate put or approach shot. Plus, it has always seemed to me that we expect to really only put once. I've always looked at a good par 3 as the equivelent par 4 on a ball golf course. A whole that will take two really good shots to be able to set yourself up for the par put.

Don't misunderstand me though. I am getting very tired of the pitch and put examples we have around here. I just hope more thought goes into the hole than well, let's add 200 ft to make it a par 4. Unfortunately, I think most park districts in the area aren't concerned with championship caliber. They are focused on pleasing the masses. Most of those masses are proud of shooting 4 under at the sign posted par of Clark Park, which is somewhere around 35 or so. Most districts look at it as a recreation. Something to do while walking in the park. not something that people may consider a true passion in life. What amazes me is that I can go to a town like Des Moines that is loaded with good courses, most at 18 holes. And then come here where they consider a tee marker and a basket a disc golf hole. Because of Des Moines, it's obviously possible to get good courses put in. I think it's a matter of changing the minds of Park Districts though. Which in my experience in two unrelated matters is next to impossible. Most park district managers. Especially the one in the town where I live act like you are the one who owes them something. Des Moines is different, there it's the city council you have to work with. They have a parks department, but, the city council is your first line of attack. That's not the case here. I find working with elected officials always seems to be a little bit more of an open forum than an appointed, or otherwise hired employee.

I am very anxious to help out getting the better courses built though. Just let me know what we need to do. Could it be as simple as just emailing PDs to say, "Hey, ever thinkg of putting in Disc Golf?" Getting them to think about it is only 1/4 of the battle though. Then we have to convince them that just to slap some baskets in doesn't count. It should be well planned and thought out. I know the Des Moines club does a lot of volunteer work for their courses. Picking up, cleaning up. They have designated clean up days for each course in the area. Maybe that would be another selling point from our club. If you build it, we will help maintain it. Heck, I already pick up garbage as I play on any course.

[Mangler]

Fairfield needs to be tweeked.  every hole can be enhanced, The layout may have passed five years ago as a challenge but because of play and the tech edge of todays game its dull.

Most all Ball Golf courses offer different Hole Placement and tee area's. This would enhance Fairfield.

Fairfield is a fair Challenging course. 18 Targets......It does not rank in as a Top 10 Illinois Course.

But with Landscaping, Tee pads, imagination, reconfig plus other things it could move up in ranking into a Top Ten Course.

I vote #15 Streamwood 1 of Top 18 holes in Illinois. Boring sometimes always a challenge, Great spectator hole.

[Clonefan94]

Well, I just got back from Des Moines. It's really disappointing every time I go there. They have such a plethera of good courses all within a few miles of each other. My brother lives within a 15 minutes drive of Waterworks, Ewing and Grandview Parks. My least favorite of the 3 being Waterworks which is just as good if not better than Lombard. It takes me 40 minutes to drive to lombard. I believe from my brothers house, if he were to drive 40 minutes he has 12 different 18 hole courses to choose from. I'm not positive on the number, but that's what it seems like.

Anyway, I played Grandview on Friday. What a great course. A parkbench or picnic table at every hole. And 2 concrete tea pads from every hole with an alternate hole location for every hole. And every tea well marked for the layout of each hole. Even the alternate teas had their own tea sign with distances. It's very difficult to even want to come back to Illinois to play. I also played Ewing again. I struggled there, but still had a great disc golf weekend. I'm lucky to have a free place to stay there at least. It's truly a great place to plan a trip and get a weekend of golf in. From downtown Des Moines there are about 15 courses to play with the maximum driving time being 40 minutes.

I just wish Illinois had the same mentality toward disc golf. Here it seems more recreation than Des Moines which actually sees it as a sport. And other than Wisconsin Iowa is the only other state I've ever played in.

[Dave Zwicke]

Fairfield is one of the better courses in Lake County, but not northern Illinois.  Joliet (West Park) and Quad Cities (Milan) are some the best in NIL. Both those course have good use of elevation change which Fairfield lacks.  But the nice thing about Round Lake is that it is a dedicated disc golf course.  

My biggest complaint about the Chicago area is that most of the courses are squeezed into public parks which tends to make the courses short, bland, and you often have to throw around other people in the park that don't know what disc golf is.  Beavier is notorious for that with the picnickers on the weekends.  

It would be nice if forest preserves used their lands for courses rather than public parks.  Forest preserves have the best terrain for the game and sport is evasive enough as to not disrupt the wildlife/foliage of the preserve.  I've heard talk of the Lake County Forest Preserve building a pay to play championship course.  If that is the case, that could be a great step for Chicago area courses.  It could shift Chicago area course designs away from trying to fit a course in a park and allow courses to be built to fit their own needs.  

I've gone on a lot of disc golf road trips throughout and south and Chicago is the only area I've been too in which the bulk of the courses are in general purpose parks.  

BTW:  Played in the doubles tourney at Buffalo Grove and they said they are building another 9 hole course out there.  Don't remember when it will open but it will be either end of this year or early next.  

[Guest]

Starting back in 1999, I started trying to get the Lake County Forest Preserve to allow disc golf courses to be built on existing LCFP property. I sent in proposals, made phone callls, etc.  All met with red tape and/or strong resistance.
I have not made an effort toward the LCFP since 2003. Someone else might have better luck these days, especially if there's a good contact in place.

Getting a course built on LCFP property would be IDEAL in terms of initial building space and future course maintenance. But most forest preserves are required to abide by state regulations, EPA guidelines, and even ADA compliances.  Just stuff to be aware of....

Good luck if you guys are pushing forward with this effort!

[Guest]

<above post by klem>

[CEValkyrie]

The club has submitted a proposal to the Lake County Forest Preserve. There is thread on the club members only section of the board. Lake County Forest Preserve is Lake County's only hope for a championship calibur course.

It was on the minutes & was discussed. It is going to be discussed at the next meeting as well. Below is a link with the minutes.  I posted all the news on the club section.
http://www.lcfpd.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=...tObjectId=23304

[Mangler]

I have brought up "CHAMPIONSHIP" Disc Golf course construction to the Development board, and It was met with an extremly positive reply.

more ...

[Mangler]

They were looking for locations...(spring 2005)

... If the course goes forward I am Convinced that It will be of Championship caliber.

Funny Thing is that there is no known outline or Charter that can be referenced for optimal disc golf coure design.

The closest thing I have seen is what a Typical Footage for 9 and 18 Holes should be and the distances are very short.

BTY Fairfield Baskets are fantastic !!!!!!!!!! Played this afternoon.

[CEValkyrie]

http://www.dailyherald.com/search/searchstory.asp?id=90553

No mention of our proposal though .

[Dan Michler]

well its says that this recent discussion was started by requests from "local enthusiasts".  i think we are the local enthusiasts.

[damonshort]

I like the picture of the kid playing 'disco golf'...

There's a punch line there but I'm not feeling that creative tonight; I'll leave that to Barish.

[mirth]

sweet, disco golf was invented in the 70's! Disco lives!

[Chainmeister]

That kid was playing skins last Sunday. I think he is doing the Hustle.  

[Dan Michler]

why does stuff in the paper always have to be messed up like that?  its always disk golf or frolf or something else retarded.  frolf is for little kids and old ladies.  or the "frolfing illini" i guess     i heard thats mostly women anyways    

[airspuds]

its because of spell check and lack of proof reading

[El Mexicano]

This question may be silly, but everytime I drive past a forest preserve I always see fairways and teepads. Would it be possible to add courses in the forest preserves. There is such a potential for this land. Imagine long accuracy shots through winding fairways. UHH-AHH. The elusive PAR 70 course!!!!

[Clonefan94]

There is huge potential. All kinds of terrain. I live in Schaumburg. I hate driving west on Golf Road between Barrington Rd. and Rte. 59. It's all forest preserve with varying degrees of woods and terrain. It makes me crazy knowing what kinds of courses could be in there. I know strides are being made to get the foot in the door. Hopefully something good will happen soon. I know cook county is just full of great places.