The Parks Department just threw us a wet and cold blanket. - Page 3

Sadjo · #21 01-05-2013, 02:45 PM

Glad things are looking up.

We're close to having the final touches on the 9-hole Eagle Creek in Clayton, GA finished. One of the city counselmen joined us for a round recently. Now he's all excited about the sport. Our goal is to capitalize with his new found passion and request funds to expand the number of holes and add additional tees.

tarel · #22 01-05-2013, 03:01 PM

So when is this place worth taking an actual trip to play. Are you having any pdga events.

Lewis · #23 01-06-2013, 03:51 AM

My club also learned the hard way not to rely on a verbal agreement with a parks department manager. We made that same mistake when expanding our course, had a well-respected, experienced professional designer lay out one of the best courses in the state, installed the baskets, had all the former haters of the course suddenly raving about how awesome it was, and then within a week of the baskets going in the ground, the newly appointed parks management came after us with "WTF" questions, threatening to shut us out of the park entirely because we had broken the rules and had occupied a lot of land that we weren't even supposed to be using. We explained the misunderstanding to the parks folks, patched up that relationship, and everything turned out okay in the end, but the fallout nearly tore our club apart, and probably ruined more than a couple of friendships among the club's leadership.

Ultimately we signed the park use handbook, got appropriate insurance for the club at about $400 a year, talked our longsuffering designer (God bless his soul!) into coming up with a new design after the park defined for us the land we were actually allowed to use, and we still got a solid course out of it. It sucks that we didn't get the championship quality layout with what people were quickly calling some of the best holes in the whole darned state, but we got a good one with some great features, and what's more important is the club has been able to turn what was pretty much literally a nightmare into a strong, trusting, symbiotic relationship with the county parks department. We're still working on the personal relationships between club members, but time heals all wounds, so I'm still holding out hope for that.

Sadjo · #24 01-06-2013, 08:49 AM

In Oconee County, SC we have over 30 Discatchers in storage. Some since 2009 and other since April of 2012. Courses we sold, designs approved and baskets paid for and then everything stopped. We did install 6 of 9 baskets when expanding an 18 hole course to 27 but still are waiting on the city to release the last three baskets.

A 9 hole course has been cleared and is ready for install...I'm not sure what the hold up is.

An 18 hole course the county approved and paid for is now on hold because they're now wondering if they'll be able to handle the increased traffic disc golf will bring to the park. It's a pay to enter park and they dont think they have enough parking. They are hoping to get funds to expand the parking area.

Lewis · #25 01-06-2013, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sadjo

In Oconee County, SC we have over 30 Discatchers in storage. Some since 2009 and other since April of 2012. Courses we sold, designs approved and baskets paid for and then everything stopped. We did install 6 of 9 baskets when expanding an 18 hole course to 27 but still are waiting on the city to release the last three baskets.

Two questions.

1) Does the county own the baskets, or the local club?
2) Do you have plans to use them all?

If the answer to question two is no, there are almost certainly a lot of clubs around who would be happy to buy them from you and put them to good use. I know my club is in the early planning stages of a course in Georgia, and once we get to the point of buying baskets, we have club members who are willing to make a road trip to SC to save on shipping.

Disc Dog · #26 01-07-2013, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarel

So when is this place worth taking an actual trip to play. Are you having any pdga events.

The earliest they can now go in is about the middle of February. Once the Lands Committee approves it at their February meeting we can go ahead.

We will be holding tourneys and the whole ball of wax. One of our founding members is a touring pro and TD.

I would suggest that if you really want to play when everything is full tilt wait until after the snows melt. Two of the holes that really make this course special have pin placements for winter. Rocks and snow do not mix and we do not want anyone slipping.

Sadjo · #27 01-07-2013, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lewis

Two questions.

1) Does the county own the baskets, or the local club?
2) Do you have plans to use them all?

If the answer to question two is no, there are almost certainly a lot of clubs around who would be happy to buy them from you and put them to good use. I know my club is in the early planning stages of a course in Georgia, and once we get to the point of buying baskets, we have club members who are willing to make a road trip to SC to save on shipping.

The 12 in the City are owned by the city and will be used.

The 18 owned by the county will be used...I picked those up myself and delivered. Im certain of it.

Also I would work toward keeping them in the area if the weren't going to be used as first planned.