Disc Golf News Article - please comment on what you notice

[airspuds]

Disc golf set to tee off in Horicon despite obstacles

    Story
    Discussion

Font Size:
    Default font size
    Larger font size

By MEGAN SHERIDAN Staff Reporter | Posted: Wednesday, June 8, 2011 11:20 pm | (0) Comments

    Share4

HORICON - Equipment for the disc golf course in River Bend Park is ready for installation although tee off pads will not be part of the initial setup.

"I don't want to deviate from what we have originally started," said Susan Hady.

The disc golf course, a project of the Horicon Phoenix Group, was initially approved by the city council in October. In May, the Phoenix Group requested a location change of the nine-hole course from the east side of the park to the west side of the park. The request drew concerns from citizens about disrupting the walking trail located there and the change was rejected.

The disc golf course returned to its original planned location and the Phoenix Group along with the Madison Disc Golf Association looked at placing beginner and advanced tee off locations that would be marked with cement slabs. One disc golf hole consists of one or two tee off pads made of cement, gravel or Astroturf and one basket standing at a typical height of 55 inches. However, the Park Board believes the pads would mean extra maintenance.

"Right now I'd rather see how we do," Hady said. "The main concern I'm having because we are low on staff I can't afford to have guys go out and do more trimming and more maintenance on the park that we don't really need."

Jennifer Rettmann, president of the Phoenix Group, stated that the pads were suggested by seasoned players and that if they could not install them, the still want to provide the course for area youth to play.

"We're really just looking to provide a new venue for kids to do something; I don't think the kids are going to care if there's an amateur pad and a professional pad," she said.

However, the lack of a pad would mean either finding an alternate way to mark a starting point for a hole or have no marker at all.

Even though the course will sit on the east side of the park, away from the walking trails, some citizens are still concerned that it will disrupt the park.

"People, for years have been walking and walking their dogs and letting them run and not having to worry about athletic activities going on," said Ruby Geitzel. "People want to start a petition."

Don Miller mentioned that there is a city ordinance in place that states that animals in a public park are to be leashed. Originally the group hoped to start installing the holes in April. They now hope to have the holes installed before the end of June.

msheridan@capitalnewspapers.com

[airspuds]

my comment would be  >
so the people who admittingly are currently breaking the rules regarding leases  are going to start a petition to protest the
perceived loss of their rights/ access to the park

HUH  ?

sounds like what happened at west park in rockdale
dog walkers did not like the 3 holes on wheeler

oh well

[Dan Michler]

I like that they are considering having no marker for the tee at all, "because its for amateur kids".  If you don't put a tee marker in, you may as well save yourself the hassel and not put the baskets in either.  I've seen the 'throwing baskets out in a field concept" before.  There needs to be a defined hole for it to feel like an actual game, otherwise kids aren't going to want to play.  It would be like installing a golf course with greens but no tees or fairways.

[Bruce Brakel]

You can never tell with a newspaper article whether it was the reporter, the editor or the person being quoted who was the clueless idiot.  Nonetheless, the article quotes Susan Hady without identifying her role or title as being against concrete tees because they will require more trimming.     Doh! 

[Jon Brakel]

You can never tell with a newspaper article whether it was the reporter, the editor or the person being quoted who was the clueless idiot.  Nonetheless, the article quotes Susan Hady without identifying her role or title as being against concrete tees because they will require more trimming.     Doh! 

I think she is thinking that you wouldn't be able to run a mower close enough to or even onto the concrete tee pad so you'd have to come back with a trimmer to trim the grass right next to the tee pad. They probably already trim around park benches, walls, curbs, etc. and she's probably thinking that trimming around concrete tees would add a lot of labor hours to the park maintenance.

[Bruce Brakel]

Hence the "Doh!"