Middle Park, Bettendorf, IA

[can't putt]

Made the trip to Bettendorf today to play Middle Park and enjoyed it a great deal.  The pins are all in the long positions, making the course play at over 8000' with lots of elevation changes.  The front nine is more open making good use of hills, ravines and trees while the back nine is predominantly in the woods with very tight fairways.  This course is very challenging but fair.

Walks between holes are very long, sometimes crossing fairways.  It took my son and I two and a half hours to play a round with zero time spent searching for lost discs.  Hole 15 will be hard to play in softball season as it is a 613 foot hole from high elevation throwing over left field of one softball field and up right field of a second to the pin about 75' left of first base.

Tees are concrete and baskets are Mach3.  The tee signs are substantial wooden signs with relief.  Very nice and very descriptive.  Due to somewhat goofy flow and the length between holes, it's a good idea to bring a course map.   

Hint:  Don't throw long on 18. 

[stpitner]

This is the course where I'll be setting up as Paper or Plastic Sports for the River City Rumble.  Maybe I could make it out to try it out the day before the tournament!

Supposedly there are some pavilions out there that I'll be able to set up under.  Did you happen to notice any of those?  I see a couple marked on the map, but I'm not sure where I will be setting up at.  Hopefully it will be near a parking lot and hopefully a lot of spectators will come out and buy stuff in addition to the other players

[can't putt]

I didn't notice anything anywhere near the course, Scott.  The two shelters near the pond are separated from the first fairway by a ridge and trees, and the shelter near the road is also way up a hill from the closest fairway.  I'd bring a tent if I were you.

[tjdub42]

This is the course where I'll be setting up as Paper or Plastic Sports for the River City Rumble.  Maybe I could make it out to try it out the day before the tournament!

Supposedly there are some pavilions out there that I'll be able to set up under.  Did you happen to notice any of those?  I see a couple marked on the map, but I'm not sure where I will be setting up at.  Hopefully it will be near a parking lot and hopefully a lot of spectators will come out and buy stuff in addition to the other players

Scott,

I sent Chad a message asking about the set-up at Middle Park.  Here's his response:

"Yes, we'll have TC at that pavillion, but from what I remember, it's a huge pavillion and there should be tons of room and a LOT of grass to set up a shelter type thing at. He may not even need it. I'm giong to check it out just to make sure. I may even shoot him a couple of photos just so he knows what he's dealing with. It's proabably the nicest of the pavillinos to set up in, so I think he'll be happy."

[stpitner]

I just hope it's not too far out of the way from the course where no one would see it, but thanks for checking into that for me!  It's at least encouraging to know that it's big... that way if it rains I won't get *as* drenched

[can't putt]

If TC is there, Scott, you should have plenty of traffic.

[Jon Brakel]

If TC is there, Scott, you should have plenty of traffic.

At most tournaments you make half your cash sales from casual disc golfers that just came out to throw not knowing there was a tournament. You need to be within 50 feet of the path of this target audience. They will not walk 75 feet! It also helps to have your merch guy that close so he can engage the casuals and try to steer them off the course to another park and that conversation can lead him to inviting them to look at the discs. This frees up your tournament volunteers to keep doing the stuff they need to do while the merch guy talks to the casuals. It's  a win-win for the merch guy(s) and the guy(s) running the tournament.

[stpitner]

If TC is there, Scott, you should have plenty of traffic.

It's not going to be the main TC, just the TC for that particular course.  The central TC is at the West Lake park or whatever.

I'm not too concerned about it, it's worth the try to go out there and have some fun   I'll be donating a lot of plastic and maybe some other stuff for CTP's as well!  Chad has been great so far with working with me and trying to help me out.  He's going to be sending me pictures soon of the area so that I know what to expect.  The toughest part is just going to be the set up and tear down with my only helper being my pregnant wife where I won't let her lift anything lol.