Any info on the St. Charles course being built.

[CEValkyrie]

Thanks for the update and educating the PD about tee pads!

[Mukey]

St. Charles was closed for the winter but is now re-opened.  I was talking to a Park District guy there today and he said so many people were cutting through neighborhood yards to access the course that they either had to pull the baskets or re-open.  They decided on the latter.  He also said they were going to redo the tee boxes in the spring and add rubber mats like Mokena (they didn't want to mix concrete on site).  I suggested he visit the PDGA site for design guidelines and lengthen the tee boxes on #'s 1,5, and 8 (at least).  I also suggested that they dig in logs (old telephone poles) to terrace the hills on #7 & #8.  The Park District guy liked that idea, but we'll see...

Maybe they might put in more pins seeing as it's getting played a bunch? That would rock, but only 1 9 hole course I've known has ever done that in my 5 years knowing about disc golf- Oswego. St. Charles is a really fun 9er but I usually want to play it more than 2x through

[pickax]

There's no room to add any more. When I play St. Charles, I take just a soft rhyno and UV challenger. Usually I go around 3 or 4 times. It would be nice if there were another 9 nearby there so I could make the trip more worthwhile, but it would have to be on a different property.

[Abelardo Arenas]

There's no room to add any more. It would be nice if there were another 9 nearby there so I could make the trip more worthwhile, but it would have to be on a different property.

Across the street. Down by the first entrance which most people turn in to, when they don't know that the course is still up the street. I think there is even an abandoned shelter there right now, which looks out across a field. And beyond that is a good wooded area.   

But like the post above yours reads, courses don't go from 9 to 18 in Illinois. Oswego did, only because of 3 people (Ken Close, John Tiffany, and Tree Camp). They kept on the Park District, and did the legwork needed to make it happen. St Charles would need the same.   

[can't putt]

That land across the street, west of the shelter, used to belong to the St. Charles Archery Club.  It would be ideal for an 18 holer.  I talked to the Park District guy about that and he said "No way, that's all designated natural area".

Mike's right about there being no room to expand.  Gary designed this course and initially had it layed out as 18 but the local naturalists kept cutting it down until he barely had room to put in 9.

[stpitner]

I wonder if there is something somewhere along north ave between St. Charles and Carol Stream where you could get a course in there.  There's a couple forest preserves... but there's usually a reason they call it a "preserve" and not a "see how much bark I just knocked off that tree with my drive???"  Trees are certainly necessary considering this particular area doesn't need another Bartlett-open-style 18-hole course!

[atowndoug]

St. Charles was closed for the winter but is now re-opened.  I was talking to a Park District guy there today and he said so many people were cutting through neighborhood yards to access the course that they either had to pull the baskets or re-open.  They decided on the latter.  He also said they were going to redo the tee boxes in the spring and add rubber mats like Mokena (they didn't want to mix concrete on site).  I suggested he visit the PDGA site for design guidelines and lengthen the tee boxes on #'s 1,5, and 8 (at least).  I also suggested that they dig in logs (old telephone poles) to terrace the hills on #7 & #8.  The Park District guy liked that idea, but we'll see...

I wish guys would not cut through yards to get to the course, that is not cool at all.  I was just out there yesterday and the gate is closed, still played a couple rounds in the snow.  I just parked in the neighborhood right before the parking lot and walked along the road to the course.  I'm not sure if I was technically tresspassing or not, is the course closed and off limits or just the parking lot?   

[Abelardo Arenas]

I wish guys would not cut through yards to get to the course, that is not cool at all.  I was just out there yesterday and the gate is closed, still played a couple rounds in the snow.  I just parked in the neighborhood right before the parking lot and walked along the road to the course.  I'm not sure if I was technically tresspassing or not, is the course closed and off limits or just the parking lot?   

They close the gate to keep people from playing the course, slipping on the staircases and steep inclines, and filing lawsuits. So you can play it. If a Park Ranger shows up, he might just ask you to leave. No big deal.

[Bruce Brakel]

If there is a sign saying Park Closed, or No Trespassing, or Do Not Enter, you're trespassing.  If there is no sign, then I'd have to check Illinois law, but in most states it is not criminal or actionable if you trespass on lands closed to the public unknowingly. 

But it does not matter what the law is if the cop does not know the law and the judge won't be bothered to look it up.

I figure, if there is pedestrian access and no signage, I'm going to play until someone tells me its against the law.  We played E-town when the course was closed because they were doing holiday lights in the park.  There was no sign saying we couldn't play.  It was just obvious when you have to throw a hyzer around an angel and thumb over the whole Baby Jesus entourage, that they are thinking no one is supposed to be playing disc golf.  But it made a lame hole interesting!  I was rehearsing my lines, "We're from out of town.  We did not know.  Someone told us to park at the K-Mart and start on hole 6.  They didn't say the course was closed, just the front gate.  We didn't know there were security cameras and proximity detectors around the stable until we went over there to pay our respects to the Family." 

[can't putt]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that it was closed again.

It is clearly closed -- there is no pedestrian access and the parking lot has a big gate across it.  There is no sign saying closed, however.  I wouldn't park in the neighborhood.  Park instead in the park across the street about 1/4 mile east of the course.  This looks like (and is) the entry to the St. Charles Youth Correctional Center, but it's actually a park before you get to the barbed wire.

[can't putt]

There is no sign saying closed, however.

Except for the one on the closed gate that says "Park Closed For Winter". 

[jsun3thousand]

When does the course officially reopen?

[atowndoug]

well I went there today(3/11) to walk the dog and possibly play a round, but the gate is still closed and now the baskets have been pulled  .  So if you were planning on sneaking in for a round while the weather is warmer think again.  Anyone have the inside info. when this course will be open?

[jsun3thousand]

I just got off the phone with the St. Charles parks department and the woman I talked to said the course should be open this weekend.

[jsun3thousand]

The course is open and in good condition. The path from eight's pin to the tee box for nine is a little slippery. I played a couple of rounds with atowndoug today. It was fun Doug,  we should throw together again some time in the future.     

[atowndoug]

The course is open and in good condition. The path from eight's pin to the tee box for nine is a little slippery. I played a couple of rounds with atowndoug today. It was fun Doug,  we should throw together again some time in the future.     

hell yea dude!  I am always up for throwing a few rounds at that course.  I was thinking about that informal singles tournament we were discussing.  Maybe you and I could organize something over the summer?  Wouldn't be much work and it should be a lot of fun.  Think about it.

[pickax]

I've toyed around with the idea of running a tournament at St. Charles that would be putters-only. In addition to an ace pot, I would also have a "perfect" round pot (score of 36). If there was local that wanted to do the leg work with the Park District and getting local sponsorship, I think it would be a lot of fun.

[CJI]

New to the board....but not the course. Its open again for the new year. They actually had the gates locked Friday I think it was to lay out some of the woodchips. Course is in great shape with minimal mud at the bottom of 8. 5 trips there so far, and heading out again tonight.

If I can lend a hand with a any tournaments or mixed doubles this summer, just let me know.

[can't putt]

St. Charles will be closed 6/11 through 6/14 (2007).  Not sure why, but I'm assuming for the improvements they told me about over the winter (see post about a page or so above).

[can't putt]

RAPED!!!

That's the only way to describe it.  I played a quick 9 at St. Charles this morning and shot +3 ... playing every hole as Par 2.  Two really bad throws kept me from -8 (Par 3).

Nothing was done to the tee boxes.  Nothing was done to curtail erosion on 7 and 8.

LOTS of trees and branches were removed.  The hole most damaged is 5.  The first tree in the middle of the fairway that forced a decision -- gone.  The big tree on the left side of the fairway about 2/3 of the way to the basket -- reduced to a 4' stump.  The large oak just behind and left of the basket -- all limbs removed below 20'.  The only thing that looks a little harder is the deep shule -- for the most part the removed trees and limbs have simply been tossed there.

I predict a -10 will be scored here very soon.  -8 will be commonplace.  Best shot doubles will be a joke.