Course Design Recommended Reading list

[Royal Hill]

I'm well aware that when it comes to course design - there's...

playing courses
reviewing courses
mentoring with a designer
helping with course maintenance and install
reading Houck articles
Scouring web forums

and oh yeah...

playing even more courses!

Yet I'm wondering if anyone has compiled a go-to recommended reading list yet for disc golf design enthusiasts. Historical or theory, ball golf or DG...

I was hoping something of the sort would have come out of the Ask J Houck thread - but since the holidays are coming... any course design primers I should be asking for?

[harr0140]

Good question . . . I am interested as I have done all of the above and enjoy reading whatever i can.

I think maybe reading golf course design books could also be good even if it is a different sport. look up anything from Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Robert Trent Jones and I am sure some others that might involve design

[DSmith]

I've found some really great books on ball golf course design. The only thing is, even though there are a few similarities, ball golf courses are designed for ball golf not disc golf. It's kinda like would you read a ton of books on tennis court design so that you can learn to make a racket ball court?
I'd almost recommend landscaping books before ball golf course design books. The Houck articles are great. I only wish more designers would write up articles on their experiences. But then again that's what DGCR is for.

Also on the playing courses part; It's not how many courses you have played it's how many you have experienced and asked yourself questions on why certain parts were layed out/designed a certain way.

[Cgkdisc]

PDGA Site:
http://www.pdga.com/course-development

DGCD web site:
http://www.discgolfcoursedesigners.org/discgolfwiki/index.php5

Join the DGCD and get access to more detailed course design information, course project stories, throw stats/spray, design methods such as using GPS and sign/map graphics plus other design materials.

[Sadjo]

There are some really great threads here on design. I'd search design threads on other forums as well. I'm not sure if there are many sources to buy past issues of different disc golf publications or not but if you can find an outlet for those publications you can find some older articles about design.

I picked up about a dozen or so issues of Disc Golf World News from GGGT this summer.

[Timber]

If you are designing AND constructing a wooded course with elevation I would recommend

Appalachian Trail Design, Construction, and Maintenance [Paperback] (http://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trail-Design-Construction-Maintenance/dp/091795372X)

It lacks any reference to disc golf course design mentality but it covers numerous issues relating to woodland course implementation.

Book Description
Publication Date: March 1, 2000
This is the classic, comprehensive manual on how to build a footpath to withstand the beating of 8 million boots a year (some hitting the ground 5 million times), to rest lightly on the land, to preserve the natural resources around it, and to allow a true backcountry experience-all at the same time. It is addressed to those who work on the Appalachian Trail-4,500 volunteers putting in a total of more than 185,000 hours a year-but is used by veteran and novice trail-builders around the world because of the success of the Appalachian Trail system. Illustrated with more than 50 photographs and 100 explanatory drawings, this manual includes design and construction specifications and lists of tools and U.S. suppliers.

[Royal Hill]

DGCD web site:
http://www.discgolfcoursedesigners.org/discgolfwiki/index.php5

Join the DGCD and get access to more detailed course design information, course project stories, throw stats/spray, design methods such as using GPS and sign/map graphics plus other design materials.[/QUOTE]

Chuck,

I've clicked over to the wiki main page several times over the years, and it has led to some questioning on my end in the past as to whats over there. For the casual observer, it is not clear that there is anything more accessible than what one can view on the main page. There's a login, but I guess that there's blind trust that something magical must happen after login, as I don't see much to access. It is not abundantly clear if there are additional resources made available through that site as a privledge of membership, if there's a web forum type area, etc...

It sounds like there clearly is from your posting on this thread, but it would be a great benefit to make clear on the DCDG wiki site, especially when listing the benefits of to a potential member.

But to all - any ball golf course design books that you've actually read, (maybe even twice?) I know that the sports have many differences, so one that concentrates on the "Strategy" of the design, or history of design progression, rather than the mechanics, is likely most applicable or interesting at least.

Gosh, I could see an aggregated collection of brief essays from many of disc golf's most known designers being a really cool thing for the sport. Could be simple, could be a compilation of quickies on overall philosophy, historical, topical subjects, best management practices, etc... I'd go for that - beats scrounging the web (forums) for micro nuggets at a time.

[Cgkdisc]

There's no more information embedded behind the DGCD wiki page. It's just a basic DGCD information and member listing page along with any links the members wish to have to their design services web sites. Those who wish more DGCD benefits information sent to them may contact me as indicated on that page. The design documents I referred to in the previous post are all available in the Files section of a DGCD members only Yahoo group.

[Danger]

DGCR! lol

There are several threads here with good information, including the new Do's and Don'ts thread nearby :)