Weed, trash, and Disc Golf

[fathergod]

   There has been a recent argument in the Adler Course topic and I wanted to bring the converstion here because I think it needs to be brought up.

I've been playing since 93 off and on and have noticed a disturbing trend with players on courses.  Back then, it wasn't surprising to see people light up out of view during league nights or causal play.   I did it a few times myself but people, times have changed now.  How can we be taken serious by non-playing people if they get a wiff of weed in the air or see trash scattered on the course?  A week ago, my friend and I were at Adler over by 2 when a cop on a bike came zooming by.  Imagine what would of happened if he decided to light up first before he threw his disc.  Also while playing doubles, I really don't want my partner to toke up.  Maybe it will make him play better but I don't care.  I really don't want to get arrested or taken to the police station to be tested because I'm in his group.  I also don't want some guy writing an article on Disc Golf and adding something about how we are like skate boarding pot heads. I'm not saying skate boarding is a sport of pot heads either.   What I'm saying is why would a parent allow their 8 year old son to try to learn the sport if they hear bad things.  Who knows, maybe we had a few Nate Doss's through out the years that wasn't allowed to play.

In reguards to trash, why would someone who is thinking of designing a course in their park build it if they see how much trash is dropped.  That means extra garbage cans and more staff to clean up after us.
At my course, there is an older guy and his son who pick up trash and place it all in the baskets.  At first that really pissed me off but then it made sense.  It's OUR trash!  It's not just mine.  It's everyones!   So pick it up if you see it.  Even if you have to carry it with you for a few holes.

The sport has really been picking up lately the last couple of years and I think its time we keep the weed off the courses and put the trash where it belongs.

[cjordan]

i never see you pick up the trash because if you did then there would be no trash, but i guess you dont since the course is continuely covered in trash and if ur partner were to get in trouble for smoking weed you would not get in trouble if you dont have anything on you. i guess you really dont know the laws very well and yet you think so  and the only way to test you is to draw blood and they have to get a court order to do that and that takes to long,its not like a breathalizer

[pdga#7648]

and if you started back in the 90's you knew probably 95% of all disc golfers smoked weed. even the PROS did it back then, all of them. Heck even now, excluding the Junior divisions, I bet still 65% of your golfers do it in a CASUAL round. The PDGA rule book clearly states, NO Illegal substances after the 2 minute warning or during the round, it will result in a DQ. Thats for tournaments. But you are talking about PRACTICE rounds. If they are not doing it around children, and they sneak off in the woods to do it, who are they really hurting? Not saying it's right, but who am I to try to make rules??
The trash part I totally agree with though. Most golfers carry a bag, your empty bottles fit just as well as a full bottle does. Carry it until you see a garbage can. The park districts can overlook smoking easier than they can seeing trash!

[fathergod]

  I pick up trash whenever I'm at my course but a little thing called work gets in the way.  Otherwise I would be there all day!


Why is it so hard for people to keep their stash at home?   Do you smokers all believe that you have the right to disc and smoke?   You DON'T!   Don't you understand that in the long run it hurts the development of the game?   It's like the PDGA not budging with reducing tournament fees.  Nate Doss remarked recently in an interview that he believes there are a lot of good players out there but they aren't willing to pay the high price.  If they would reduce the price, more people would embrace the game.

Either way, that doesn't change the fact that we should be promoting the game to non-players and by doing that, we need to pick up trash that we see and stop smoking weed


*edit*

Oh I use to smoke all the time in the wooded areas at my course!        (It was kind of expected) but all it takes is someone getting busted now-a-days and it will cause troubles later.

[cjordan]

thank god somebody knows what they are talking about and i am not talking about fathergod


P.S. THATS ANOTHER THING WHO DOES GUY THINK HE IS CALLING HIMSELF FATHERGOD HE CERTAINLY ISNT THE FATHER OF DISC GOLF THAT WOULD BE ED HENDRICK AND HE CERTAINLY ISNT GOD

[cjordan]

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN NOT DO IN THERE OWN TIME IF THAT HAPPENS ON THE DISC GOLF COURSE DONT PLAY TUESDAY LEAGUES ANYMORE IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT GOES ON THERE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT THE LAW THERE ARE OTHER LEAGUES IN OTHER AREAS THAT YOU CAN GO TO

[Jon Brakel]

I am not a smoker (of anything) or much of a drinker and I'd prefer that you don't do illegal things in the park. I also prefer that if you HAVE to smoke (anything) during the round that you do it down wind from me. However, smoking dope will not hold back the sport of disc golf anymore than it is holding back ball golf, snow boarding, skate boarding, or Olympic swimming. Every once in a while someone brings up this topic on this message board. I've seen it for years and years and it never changes.

Fathergod says that he used to smoke dope on the course back in the day and that was ok because things were different then. That's total bull shit. It is either ok or its not. Its ok if you've changed your mind about it but don't say "Oh, it was ok when I was doing but now that I don't it's not ok for anyone."

[fathergod]

I've been using the name FatherGod for years and years.  It was one of my first usernames I thought of when there was only dialup.  I certaintly know I'm not the god or father of Disc golf  

However, since I AM paying $$ for doubles, I have every right to bitch about the players smoking weed or not picking up trash.  

I can't stop you from doing either one but you shouldn't even be concidered a disc golfer then.
You should be concidered a "chucker" because you clearly show that you don't care enough about the game to make it become more popular with non-players or to change the negative image that we get.

[pdga#7648]

 I pick up trash whenever I'm at my course but a little thing called work gets in the way.  Otherwise I would be there all day!


Why is it so hard for people to keep their stash at home?   Do you smokers all believe that you have the right to disc and smoke?   You DON'T!   Don't you understand that in the long run it hurts the development of the game?   It's like the PDGA not budging with reducing tournament fees.  Nate Doss remarked recently in an interview that he believes there are a lot of good players out there but they aren't willing to pay the high price.  If they would reduce the price, more people would embrace the game.

Either way, that doesn't change the fact that we should be promoting the game to non-players and by doing that, we need to pick up trash that we see and stop smoking weed


*edit*

Oh I use to smoke all the time in the wooded areas at my course!        (It was kind of expected) but all it takes is someone getting busted now-a-days and it will cause troubles later.

father, I never said it was right, heck read my post, I think it says it's not right. But any citizen of this great country has what is called freedom of choice!~ If they want to take a toke off a joint while out playing a casual game of golf, they do have that right, whether it is right or wrong!! Have you ever drove a car after drinking??? That was illegal, but you jeopardized the lives of all the people on that road with you that night! But that was your choice! See it's all about choices, we all make them, and we all have to deal with others choices.
But to cry about league nights?? cmon dude!!

[pdga#7648]

I've been using the name FatherGod for years and years.  It was one of my first usernames I thought of when there was only dialup.  I certaintly know I'm not the god or father of Disc golf  

However, since I AM paying $$ for doubles, I have every right to bitch about the players smoking weed or not picking up trash.  

I can't stop you from doing either one but you shouldn't even be concidered a disc golfer then.
You should be concidered a "chucker" because you clearly show that you don't care enough about the game to make it become more popular with non-players or to change the negative image that we get.

I have been a member of the PDGA for 15 years, and have smoked with the 12x WORLD CHAMPION in a casual round. You gonna call him a CHUCKER??  lmao!  Don't call  dedicated members of this great sport chuckers, when you have no clue to what you are saying.

If you were complaining of a tournament round you would have a point, but for leagues? Cmon man, like Allen Iverson said,  it's practice, were talking about practice, not a tournament, we talkin bout practice, cmon man!

[pdga#7648]

maybe we need to start drug testing disc golfers now?? that 40,000 number of members would drop in half!!

[fathergod]

I've been using the name FatherGod for years and years.  It was one of my first usernames I thought of when there was only dialup.  I certaintly know I'm not the god or father of Disc golf  

However, since I AM paying $$ for doubles, I have every right to bitch about the players smoking weed or not picking up trash.  

I can't stop you from doing either one but you shouldn't even be concidered a disc golfer then.
You should be concidered a "chucker" because you clearly show that you don't care enough about the game to make it become more popular with non-players or to change the negative image that we get.

I have been a member of the PDGA for 15 years, and have smoked with the 12x WORLD CHAMPION in a casual round. You gonna call him a CHUCKER??  lmao!  Don't call  dedicated members of this great sport chuckers, when you have no clue to what you are saying.

If you were complaining of a tournament round you would have a point, but for leagues? Cmon man, like Allen Iverson said,  it's practice, were talking about practice, not a tournament, we talkin bout practice, cmon man!

Not you ya dork lol  I'm talking to CJ!


The issue about smoking now compared to later is that back then I didn't see a lot of people care so much.  Parks have become more and more concerned about it as well as parents so in the long run, I don't see it helping the sport.

The difference with us, skateboarders, and ball golfers is that they aren't toking up while doing it!   I've seen disc golfers throwing a disc with a joint in his mouth out in the open and this was at league!!

All I know is that the parents I've talked to when trying to get their son/daughter involved in the game have said some negative things about the players.  Smoking weed is something that gets brought up a lot.

[Arok]

I would really like Fathergod to stand up and say something to all of us tomorrow night at dubs.
You heading out tomorrow??

Are you in bed with Mark Kirk??

[Chainmeister]

If you were complaining of a tournament round you would have a point, but for leagues? Cmon man, like Allen Iverson said,  it's practice, were talking about practice, not a tournament, we talkin bout practice, cmon man!

I think this comment is wise.  Perhaps a bit wiser than the specificity contained in your anecdote.  In any endeavor in a pubic place discretion is a high priority.  We have youngsters play with us and language and other activities should be tailored to the players in the group, the park where you are playing, and the situation in general.  I find that the players who drink, smoke and swear the most are still the ones who clean up after themselves, pick up refuse left by others, and play the game within the rules.  We're in a park and we're throwing things.  Only a bad attitude can lessen my enjoyment.   Of course, if Alan Iverson had better practice habits one could argue he would have been a much better player, but that's fuel for another thread.

[pdga#7648]

I've been using the name FatherGod for years and years.  It was one of my first usernames I thought of when there was only dialup.  I certaintly know I'm not the god or father of Disc golf  

However, since I AM paying $$ for doubles, I have every right to bitch about the players smoking weed or not picking up trash.  

I can't stop you from doing either one but you shouldn't even be concidered a disc golfer then.
You should be concidered a "chucker" because you clearly show that you don't care enough about the game to make it become more popular with non-players or to change the negative image that we get.

I have been a member of the PDGA for 15 years, and have smoked with the 12x WORLD CHAMPION in a casual round. You gonna call him a CHUCKER??  lmao!  Don't call  dedicated members of this great sport chuckers, when you have no clue to what you are saying.

If you were complaining of a tournament round you would have a point, but for leagues? Cmon man, like Allen Iverson said,  it's practice, were talking about practice, not a tournament, we talkin bout practice, cmon man!

Not you ya dork lol  I'm talking to CJ!


The issue about smoking now compared to later is that back then I didn't see a lot of people care so much.  Parks have become more and more concerned about it as well as parents so in the long run, I don't see it helping the sport.

The difference with us, skateboarders, and ball golfers is that they aren't toking up while doing it!   I've seen disc golfers throwing a disc with a joint in his mouth out in the open and this was at league!!

All I know is that the parents I've talked to when trying to get their son/daughter involved in the game have said some negative things about the players.  Smoking weed is something that gets brought up a lot.

again, know what you are saying before you say anything. CJ is a very good disc golfer who plays within the rules, and picks up trash. I played with him in the GPO at Eureka, and he was picking up others trash if we came across any, and I never saw him break any rules in that round.

[fathergod]

 You are forgetting that constantly hitting trees won't improve your mood either haha

I guess I don't really have a problem with a player smoking weed, cursing, or drinking at a course such as Fairfield but places like Mundelein, Bevier, and Adler you really need to show some disgression.   There are kids all over the place and I'm sure parents don't need to hear or see it.

[jasonc]

If you were complaining of a tournament round you would have a point, but for leagues? Cmon man, like Allen Iverson said,  it's practice, were talking about practice, not a tournament, we talkin bout practice, cmon man!

I think this comment is wise.  Perhaps a bit wiser than the specificity contained in your anecdote.  In any endeavor in a pubic place discretion is a high priority.  We have youngsters play with us and language and other activities should be tailored to the players in the group, the park where you are playing, and the situation in general.  I find that the players who drink, smoke and swear the most are still the ones who clean up after themselves, pick up refuse left by others, and play the game within the rules.  We're in a park and we're throwing things.  Only a bad attitude can lessen my enjoyment.   Of course, if Alan Iverson had better practice habits one could argue he would have been a much better player, but that's fuel for another thread.

I wholeheartedly agree with Barish.  Discretion should always be a high priority on these types of issues and most everything else.  In a recent league round that I played, one of the members in our group walked around with his head down, mumbling and grumbling to himself the entire way through the course.  I was just hoping he would make it through the round without a complete meltdown.  He did not drink, smoke, leave trash anywhere.  However, his horrible attitude (including leaving his partner's missed putts under the basket while retrieving his own discs) brought the rest of the group down while simply trying to HAVE FUN on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Not sure if my 2 cents is worth anything, but if it is....maybe try talking to others in your league/group instead of complaining after the fact while hiding behind an on-line avatar.    

[fathergod]

 And since it is not enforceable by the league whats the point of saying something in my group if they decide to smoke?

I can already see them calling me a pussy for encroaching on their "right" to smoke and it would really make it worse. 

The point is that smoking weed is still illegal in the US.  I sure the heck don't want non-players looking down at us like we are a bunch of pot-heads.  Hell, right now a park could pull out the baskets and say "Tough shit, you pay nothing."  But if we don't give them the reason to, they generally let us continue playing on our merry way

[Arok]

And since it is not enforceable by the league whats the point of saying something in my group if they decide to smoke?

I can already see them calling me a pussy for encroaching on their "right" to smoke and it would really make it worse. 

The point is that smoking weed is still illegal in the US.  I sure the heck don't want non-players looking down at us like we are a bunch of pot-heads.  Hell, right now a park could pull out the baskets and say "Tough shit, you pay nothing."  But if we don't give them the reason to, they generally let us continue playing on our merry way

Well to tell you the truth it's sure as fuck not advisable to say on a public forum that your going to call the cops reporting players, then have the nerve to show up and play. You really think that is cool to do? I think you will have more problems to worry about than being called a pussy bro.

And to answer your question, YES that would be the right thing to do. I've played tournaments and we all follow the rules. Many guys in my groups have asked politely for players NOT to smoke and that is more than fine during tournament play! This is doubles man, c'mon you have to be kidding me with all this crap.

Priests molesting little boys is illegal so why should we take the church seriously?

Move on with this right wing bull shit guy. I can't stand people like you....

[pdga#7648]

speeding in your car is illegal as well, have you ever done that? Im sure no one turned you into the cops for it, or went to a public forum and cried about it. Approach the guilty party, and ask them to not smoke while golfing. You may be suprised by the answer. Heck he may be nice and just chuck a shot deep in the woods, so he will be out of your site, when he hits his pipe??