2009 Charleston Classic

[AdamCaudle]

This will be my first sanctioned event and I was just requesting some tips from people who have played the Trophy Lakes course 9(http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=783), and Hampton Park. I was also seeing if anybody here plans on playing this event.

[DannyM]

I'll be playing there as well....in the Adv. Masters division. Both will be long courses....many holes over 400 ft. Trophy lakes will have a LOT of water hazards. have some drivers in your bag that will give you distance, but you won't mind losing should it go in the water...OR....play smart, throw what you feel you can make. If you play in Rec division, you'll be playing from the short tees at Trophy which will make all the differance! Make sure also that you have some "wind discs"...discs that you feel comfortable with throwing in windy conditions. Traditionally it is windy at Trophy. Most important thing though......HAVE FUN!
Hope to meet you while I'm there!

[DavidSauls]

You're making a big mistake, playing this as your first tournament.

Future tournaments are bound to be a letdown.

Seriously, regardless of skill level, bring spare discs. Both courses give you the opportunity to lose multiple discs. It's not destiny, though; with good decisions and execution, you need not lose any. If you practice the courses, you might want to hold back on your "go to" discs and practice with some backups. If you can only practice one course, I'd practice Hampton, just because it's the only time you'll ever get to play it.

As Danny says, both courses are sometimes quite windy.

Especially at Trophy Lakes, trying to make up for a bad shot by pulling off a near-impossible next shot can get you into serious trouble.

Set aside enough time for vacation. Charleston's a great place to visit, whether your interests are nightlife or cultural or beaches.

My reverence for this event owes to the fact that I've played 104 courses....and both these 2 are in my Top-6. Your mileage may vary, of course. And the Chucktown folks run great events!

[billnchristy]

David, do you play any of the Crooked Creek tournies? Have you heard any dates for the '10 season? I want to make it out to one. CC is my current favorite course.

[DavidSauls]

David, do you play any of the Crooked Creek tournies? Have you heard any dates for the '10 season? I want to make it out to one. CC is my current favorite course.

That's a 120 mile thread drift.

2010 dates aren't out yet below A-tier, but traditionally:

Crooked Creek Classic---Normal 4-round tournament on the 18-hole course, Memorial Day weekend (Saturday-Sunday).

S.C. Flying Disc Championships---3 rounds, incorporating the "extra 8" holes in various configurations, plus field events (distance, accuracy, MTA). Sometime in September.

Sayde's---has been a 1-day event in April, but currently doubtful for 2010.

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Now, can we get back to Charleston?

If you have limited practice at Hampton, the fountain hole and bridge hole are both musts. The fountain hole (usually #15) is just incredible. The bridge hole (usually #17) is an island hole, requiring you to land in a 50' or 60' circle, with the wind usually playing defense. You really want to "get the measure" of this hole, as it can make a lot of strokes of difference, and possibly cost you a few discs.

At Trophy Lakes, #1 & #2 are perhaps the ones you most want to "dial in". They're both birdieable. #1 is a matter of getting its measure. #2 is a matter of figuring out a route you can hit.

[DavidSauls]

Another consideration for Trophy Lakes & Hampton Park:

Neither course has benches.

Trophy Lakes is rather long, to walk and to stand around during lengthy rounds.

If you're the kind of person who occasionally brings along a chair, this would be one of those occasions.

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Both courses will give you the chance to throw a few rollers, if that's in your arsenal.

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Parking at Hampton Park is sometimes a bit strange. They seem to close off the road that loops around the park on Saturday mornings, and it can be a bit bewildering getting to the main parking lot. Not sure the story on this, how early you need to arrive to avoid it, and I only get there every other year or so, so always have trouble finding the "back route" into the park. Otherwise, you're parking a bit of a ways from the meeting area.

Both have dirt or rubber mat teepads. If it rains, footing can be an issue, especially at Trophy Lakes where some dirt tees are worn in.

The longest forced carry of water is perhaps 250' from the blue tees at Trophy Lakes, under 200' otherwise. It's the unforced carries of water that cause all the trouble. You can bail out but, shoot, everyone's watching, and THEY made it across, I have to try!

[AdamCaudle]

Thanks for the advice guys. I hope to see you there too! Yeah, I will be stocking up on some used discs that I can throw over water and not worry about losing. I plan on playing Rec. since it's my first tourney. What kind of a course is Hampton Park anyway?

[DavidSauls]

Gorgeous. And Temporary.

It's an annual temporary course set up in a city park, mostly the same every year. It's flat, a mix of short and long holes, with a good number of "low ceiling" holes. The park has ENORMOUS trees, including live oaks with huge spreading limbs and thick magnolias that will stop any disc. Some places the oaks' limbs touch the ground, with a basket tucked among them. There's a huge gazebo that some years serves as a tee.

The 3 water holes arearound a set of concrete pools. The fountain holes tees off from inside a live oak (huge branches above and below), goes 100' or so, then crosses a round pool. The far side of the pool has about a 5' wall, topped by a 5' iron fence, that you must clear. In the middle, sometimes, is a fountain that shoots a geyser up 30', right in the center of your flight path. Basket is beyond all this, and beyond some small trees.

Bridge holes goes over the "hourglass" part of the ponds, right across a bridge. Basket is in a round area surrounded by OB concrete walks; short throws land in water, long throws are just OB.

It can't have a permanent course due to all the civilians, but it's great for the one weekend a year we have it.

[DavidSauls]

You can get an idea from some poor-quality photos, from probably 6 years ago, at

http://www.saulsinsurance.com/stoneyhill/Hampton/index.htm

[AdamCaudle]

Sounds tough, but fun.

[DannyM]

As David said...one of the most beautiful courses you will ever see....too bad it's only set up 1-2 times a year!

[DavidSauls]

Hampton Park isn't overwhelmingly tough, more cool. Trophy Lakes is one of the most challenging courses in South Carolina (but not "Gold Course" challenging). SSAs (1000-rated rounds) in most recent tournaments were about 52 for Hampton, 57 for Trophy Lakes.

Your mileage may vary.

See you there.

[DannyM]

For the short tees at Trophy, it would be slightly lower obviously, maybe about 3-4 strokes less overall....and I don't recall Hampton having short tees, but it has been a year since I was there. I just remember how beautiful the course was!

[DavidSauls]

Hampton has not generally had short tees, but at least some years, the fountain & water holes have had some divisions (womens, etc.) tee from the drop zone. (I've made this tournament about every other year, and with the annual tweaks to the layout, some details have gone fuzzy in mind mind. Along with lots of other things).

If a division plays the Red tees at Trophy Lakes, it's a pretty significant shortening of the course. I think the SSAs were 6 or 8 strokes lower. Still lots of trouble available, though.

[DannyM]

Yeah, it was a 12 stroke swing for me at Trophy playing shorts vs. longs. Averaged about a 68 for the longs, then went and shot a 56 on the shorts. Just looked back, my 68's were a 907 rated round <about my rating>, and the 56 was a 935 rated round. So upper 50's to low 60's would be considered a good round from the shorts at Trophy.
I actually got some of my memory back from last year at Hampton Park....the last round I had the privelege to play with the Advanced Women...because I was sooooo far back in Master's......and the women did not have short tees, so i'm pretty sure that there are none...unless they change things this year....doubtful though!

[DavidSauls]

This will be my first sanctioned event and I was just requesting some tips from people who have played the Trophy Lakes course 9(http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=783), and Hampton Park. I was also seeing if anybody here plans on playing this event.

Did you make it?

How was it?

Were we accurate, in either our praise for the courses or our cautions?