Problems in Disc Golf

[CEValkyrie]

After meeting with the Lake County Forest Preserve today it's very clear what Parks & Officials say about disc golf. It's very clear becasue in front of me I have a copy of comments from every park district in Lake County that has a course.  It's up to US to police each other. If you want more courses please help.

Here are some comments.
Some vandalism.
Ocassional stolen baskets.
Vandalism has increases since installing a course.
Beer comsumption.
Litter
Profanity
Urinating in public.


*I'm actually quite surprised to see dope usage was not commented on at all*

[Younk]

I always pick up trash if I see it, you should too 

Seriously though, there are usually garbage cans that I will pass during the remainder of the round to dispose the trash.

[Chainmeister]

First- Brett, thanks for your efforts in this regard. I think Tom was supposed to be at the meeting as well.  Thanks to Tom and any other club members who went there to support disc golf.

It seems the concerns they have are similar to concerns they would have over any use of public lands.  When you build a pool, baseball, soccer field, tennis court, day camp nature museum, whatever...you will have issues with litter, beer, vandalism noise etc.  You bring more people to a facility and you get more stuff happening.  It seems like their concerns are more over whether the land should be opened up at all as opposed to whether disc golf is a good or bad idea.  It seems we need to help them focus on whether the land should be used at all and how disc golf is less invasive than other choices.  It may be they simply want to preserve the land and don't want to do anything.  If that's the case you are right. It will be slim to no chance.  However, if they can be persuaded to open the land to an appropriate use we may be able to demonstrate that disc golf is the most appropriate use.  I take it that your vision is that disc golf in the Lake County Forest Preserve would be more like Highbridge than like Fairfield.  What is their vision?  It should be A-tier not the parking lot at a Dead concert.  They need to see Barry Schultz, not a shirtless kid with a can of beer and a beat up Cyclone.  If Rockford weren't so far, I would say invite them to see the advance/pro day there.

[whofarted]

It seems the concerns they have are similar to concerns they would have over any use of public lands.  When you build a pool, baseball, soccer field, tennis court, day camp nature museum, whatever...you will have issues with litter, beer, vandalism noise etc.  You bring more people to a facility and you get more stuff happening.  It seems like their concerns are more over whether the land should be opened up at all as opposed to whether disc golf is a good or bad idea.  It seems we need to help them focus on whether the land should be used at all and how disc golf is less invasive than other choices.  It may be they simply want to preserve the land and don't want to do anything.  If that's the case you are right. It will be slim to no chance.  However, if they can be persuaded to open the land to an appropriate use we may be able to demonstrate that disc golf is the most appropriate use.  I take it that your vision is that disc golf in the Lake County Forest Preserve would be more like Highbridge than like Fairfield.  What is their vision?  It should be A-tier not the parking lot at a Dead concert.  They need to see Barry Schultz, not a shirtless kid with a can of beer and a beat up Cyclone.  If Rockford weren't so far, I would say invite them to see the advance/pro day there.

you hit the nail on the head - there will always be a segment of idiots within any population.  disc golf is no different.

[CEValkyrie]

This is part of the problem but not all of the problem with the Forest Preserve. When disc golf is brought up this is what Park Districts think & say about disc golf.

Even though I agree on many of the aspects above when soccer is mention or baseball or other park activities, usually the demographic of drunken mid teens to mid 20 year olds don't come to mind. Every report mentioned this when talking about disc golf.

[whofarted]

Brett - contact the president of the Quad City crew.  the park districts that he deals with are begging to have courses to installed in their parks and for good reasons.  he offered to coordinate a meeting of the minds with rockfords park district and thiers.  i am sure he'd extend that same courtesy to you and lake forest.  also, through the contacts i have made with rockfords park district and the success of last years tournament i am sure that the RPD would have nothing but good to say about the sport. 

[Mukey]

It should be A-tier not the parking lot at a Dead concert.  They need to see Barry Schultz, not a shirtless kid with a can of beer and a beat up Cyclone.  If Rockford weren't so far, I would say invite them to see the advance/pro day there.

Good point here. Maybe an invitation to Park Directors to the Club Invitational? If they see the support that club members can give to an event, it might help sway their minds.

[Chainmeister]

Maybe an invitation to Park Directors to the Club Invitational? If they see the support that club members can give to an event, it might help sway their minds.

I went to the Invitational last year.  It was great fun and I hope to go again this year. That was a fun fun day of hooky and disc golf.  Its a bit relaxed for the image I think we need to project.  Seeing nearly one hundred 900+ rated players at an IOS is what I was imagining. Maybe have them follow a group of masters with Bruce, Tom, Adrian Sr. etc.

[whofarted]

Maybe have them follow a group of masters with Bruce, Tom, Adrian Sr. etc.

yup, if they are seeing young and old, men and women, enjoying the sport on a professional level with professinoal leadership like bruce and yourself that stigma of beer drinking yahoos will be turned upside down.

[whofarted]

another option is not asking for their money and raising it yourself.  if you come to them with 6 grand it is going to show them that you're more serious than they thought you were, and at that point they may match your dollars.  and maybe they wont, but they'll probably be more willing to give you the land to work with.

[Dan Michler]

First- Brett, thanks for your efforts in this regard. I think Tom was supposed to be at the meeting as well. Thanks to Tom and any other club members who went there to support disc golf.

It seems the concerns they have are similar to concerns they would have over any use of public lands. When you build a pool, baseball, soccer field, tennis court, day camp nature museum, whatever...you will have issues with litter, beer, vandalism noise etc. You bring more people to a facility and you get more stuff happening. It seems like their concerns are more over whether the land should be opened up at all as opposed to whether disc golf is a good or bad idea. It seems we need to help them focus on whether the land should be used at all and how disc golf is less invasive than other choices. It may be they simply want to preserve the land and don't want to do anything. If that's the case you are right. It will be slim to no chance. However, if they can be persuaded to open the land to an appropriate use we may be able to demonstrate that disc golf is the most appropriate use. I take it that your vision is that disc golf in the Lake County Forest Preserve would be more like Highbridge than like Fairfield. What is their vision? It should be A-tier not the parking lot at a Dead concert. They need to see Barry Schultz, not a shirtless kid with a can of beer and a beat up Cyclone. If Rockford weren't so far, I would say invite them to see the advance/pro day there.

It seems the concerns they have are similar to concerns they would have over any use of public lands. When you build a pool, baseball, soccer field, tennis court, day camp nature museum, whatever...you will have issues with litter, beer, vandalism noise etc. You bring more people to a facility and you get more stuff happening. It seems like their concerns are more over whether the land should be opened up at all as opposed to whether disc golf is a good or bad idea. It seems we need to help them focus on whether the land should be used at all and how disc golf is less invasive than other choices. It may be they simply want to preserve the land and don't want to do anything. If that's the case you are right. It will be slim to no chance. However, if they can be persuaded to open the land to an appropriate use we may be able to demonstrate that disc golf is the most appropriate use. I take it that your vision is that disc golf in the Lake County Forest Preserve would be more like Highbridge than like Fairfield. What is their vision? It should be A-tier not the parking lot at a Dead concert. They need to see Barry Schultz, not a shirtless kid with a can of beer and a beat up Cyclone. If Rockford weren't so far, I would say invite them to see the advance/pro day there.

you hit the nail on the head - there will always be a segment of idiots within any population. disc golf is no different.

do u guys really think that ur gonna commonly see severely intoxicated obnoxious people at soccer and baseball games in public parks??  sure there are occasionaly idiots everywhere, but they are WAY more common in disc golf.  the only way to change this is to take responsibility for ourselves.  don't drink beer or do drugs on the course.  it seems pretty simple, but very few of u out there seem to be willing to do it.  its getting very frustrating because its really holding the sport down..............

[CEValkyrie]

another option is not asking for their money and raising it yourself.  if you come to them with 6 grand it is going to show them that you're more serious than they thought you were, and at that point they may match your dollars.  and maybe they wont, but they'll probably be more willing to give you the land to work with.

Money is a non issue with the Forest Preserve. They purchased $30,000 of playground equimpent to add on to the $100,000 worth of equipment they already have in place. The $30,000 to $90,000 for a course which was in their study was a non issue.

[whofarted]

do u guys really think that ur gonna commonly see severely intoxicated obnoxious people at soccer and baseball games in public parks??  sure there are occasionaly idiots everywhere, but they are WAY more common in disc golf.  the only way to change this is to take responsibility for ourselves.  don't drink beer or do drugs on the course.  it seems pretty simple, but very few of u out there seem to be willing to do it.  its getting very frustrating because its really holding the sport down..............

getting more new people to play and those behaivors become more and more discreet.  if the park is filled with four people on every hole actually playing the sport then people wont be taking longs breaks at the park bench or casually walking with a beer through the park.

Money is a non issue with the Forest Preserve. They purchased $30,000 of playground equimpent to add on to the $100,000 worth of equipment they already have in place. The $30,000 to $90,000 for a course which was in their study was a non issue.

so thier only complaint is the image of the sport?

[CEValkyrie]

getting more new people to play and those behaivors become more and more discreet.  if the park is filled with four people on every hole actually playing the sport then people wont be taking longs breaks at the park bench or casually walking with a beer through the park.

so thier only complaint is the image of the sport?

#1 If that were the case Fairfield would be the most well kept course on the planet. It has hundreds of players playing it daily.
Here is a quote from the Round Lake Park District.
Problems? "Beer consumption, people tend to drink when they play and leave their cans on the course. The garbage cans are overflowing with beer cans every Monday during the season."
#2 No. It was mentioned on the other topic in the club members section with 1 other reason.

[whofarted]

#1 If that were the case Fairfield would be the most well kept course on the planet. It has hundreds of players playing it daily.

maybe that was a bad example, but somehow skateboarding graduated to something acceptable to all so hopefully disc golf will take that step too.

[DougEDawg]

What about suggesting a "Pay-to-Play" course.  That should keep most of the rif-raf out.

[mirth]

pay to play in the LCFP would only work for nonresidents of lake county. by law or policy or whatever, if you hold a DL w/a lake county address on it you & everyone in your car gets in for free.

[Chainmeister]

pay to play in the LCFP would only work for nonresidents of lake county. by law or policy or whatever, if you hold a DL w/a lake county address on it you & everyone in your car gets in for free.

Why is this so?  If Lake County had a public ball golf course wouldnt' residents still have to pay?  They may get a break on the price, but they would still have to pay. No?

[discmonkey]

#1 If that were the case Fairfield would be the most well kept course on the planet. It has hundreds of players playing it daily.

maybe that was a bad example, but somehow skateboarding graduated to something acceptable to all so hopefully disc golf will take that step too.

Skateboarding did not become socially acceptable until it was on tv for several years.  My brother helped get several skate parks installed in the southern suburbs and the local govt didn't give them the time of day until the xgames came around.  Until we get serious about our image and policing that image, we won't get any further.  Everyone here seems serious about this, but then I hear joking stories about who was drunk at the tournament and that seems to be OK.  We all play with or near people that drink every time they go out on the course and don't say anything (as a fairfield local, I am probably more guilty of this than most).  When someone shows up to a tournament drunk, it shouldn't be a joke, it should be a dq.  When someone shows up to leagues with beer, they shouldn't be allowed to play.  Until we are all ready to be this strict (and honestly, a lot of people are not), the conservative folks who run the park districts of the world will always look down at us over a garbage can full of beercans.  It had to become "uncool" in skating to be a vandal or criminal so that sport was recognized, we have to do the same.

[Mike Clark]

pay to play in the LCFP would only work for nonresidents of lake county. by law or policy or whatever, if you hold a DL w/a lake county address on it you & everyone in your car gets in for free.

Why is this so?  If Lake County had a public ball golf course wouldnt' residents still have to pay?  They may get a break on the price, but they would still have to pay. No?

The forest preserve does own public golf courses and you do have to pay to play whether you are a redisdent or not. So I do not think this is correct. You also have to pay to use certain things at Independance Grove.