Course design Best practices

[gottafixit]

Would like to air out some of the pros and cons of course designs. For instance

I'm a stickler for sticking to the PDGA color schemes of red, white , blue, yellow, and the distances being matched(i want whites to be about the same distance any where i go so i know what i'm getting into).

I like the painted bar on the basket to point you in the direction of the next tee.

Lining of the fairways with downed trees on woods holes.

Defined fairways on woods holes. lets make it fair.

defined tee areas, what ever the material make it clear where it is expected of you to tee off.

Curious to here what everyone else has to add.

[discinator]

Aside from defined tee areas, I can't say that I've ever seen a course with all of the color coded tee markers, lined fairways, etc. It would be nice to see some of the features that are common in regular golf such as: color coded distance markers in the fairways and a true "green' type area 30' around the basket with mulch or some other filler to make the landing zones more uniform. But to be real honest I'm happy with cement tees and signs that show the hole layout and location of the next tee.

[cydisc]

Anything that improves the look and flow of a course, I'm for.

I'm not one that thinks that every "green" needs to be completely clear in a 30' radius of the basket. There are times when a hole needs some obstacles to putt around.

[Ryan P.]

i would actually like the opposite on the greens. the more obstacles, as long as it's still reasonable, i think the better. greens with low ceilings are a different type of putt if you've never been forced to try that. or a tree two feet from the basket to force you to straddle putt if you are right behind it. I think anything where you still have a chance to make the putt is reasonable. I guess I would say if a pro has a 50% chance to make the putt, then it's reasonable. (within the circle). and huge holes right beside the basket are a good addition too. putt uphill messes with people. or downhill. that's just my opinion though.

One other thing I have seen that I really like is a really thick rough. I've played on some courses where a bad throw isn't bad-it's just left or right. since trees and bushes, etc. are the "obstacles" in disc golf (other than the ground in ball golf), it would seem to me that a shot off to the left or right should be punished more than just being further from the hole. But then again, we play disc golf, not ball golf, so we shouldn't restrict ourselves to their rules. because disc golf rules!

(yeah I know that's a horrible pun)

[Olorin]

Par should be set according to the Gold Close Range par guidelines.

[discinator]

I agree that not every green needs a 30' circle around it, but some consistency would be nice. Also as far as obstacles to putt around, I think it depends on how far away from the basket the obstacles are. Nothing seems more unfair than parking a basket and then having to putt around or through an obstacle. A little risk/reward is good, but unfair leaves me with a bad taste.