Do you know what Disc Golf lacks?

[Snicks]

Greens.

Disc golf and ball golf are very similar in almost every respect except - the vast majority of DG courses don't have greens. We have fairways with a basket at the end. We don't have a putting surface. I realize that the actual surface is much less important in our game than ball golf but the purpose of the green remains the same. Reward the player who lands on the putting surface with a much easier opportunity to hole out.

In my opinion the addition of greens (and sand traps) would do wonders for developing skill and introducing a more nuanced play style. For example, imagine a right handed player stepping up to a hole where their shot is a hyzer with a driver, any distance. Now put a sand trap on the edge of the circle on the right side in a half moon shape. Any shot making first contact with the ground outside of the circle on the right side is immediately dead and they're left with that length of putt, in sand (which increases the difficulty just like ball golf). If first contact is made inside the circle they risk skipping out of the circle for a potentially long putt unless they put much more hyzer on the disc and throw a spike, which is a specific shot and not necessarily the first choice of said golfer.

What do you all think?

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

Beer carts

 

[brutalbrutus]

AT Idlewild in Northern KY, they have multiple holes that have built up island greens with a creek snaking back and forth. As a lifelong ball golfer its almost like going home, if ya catch my meaning.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

charisma.

 

[onemilemore]

I love the concept, and I think we could see it in the future, when there are more dedicated courses. But with a vast majority currently residing in multi-use parks, it's going to be tough to have sand traps and greens.

 

[Nemmers]

I think your idea has a little merit, but IMHO the cosmetic addition of greens and traps would be a completely superficial "improvement," to say nothing of the maintenance they would require that would undoubtedly end up costing the county or city that would be charged with their upkeep -- thereby making the installation of more courses less attractive to parks departments.

Since discs are thrown through the air it's completely irrelevant whether or not there's a green, and one could argue that many courses have sand traps anyway. At least we do here in coastal Carolina.

I understand this suggestion is well-intended and undoubtedly means to improve the appearance of courses, but even for all their similarities disc golf and ball golf have vastly different requirements for what constitutes "prime real estate" for potential courses. Land that might be awesome for a disc golf course location would make for a completely unplayable ball golf course, and areas that would make for an outstanding ball golf course might make for a totally mundane disc golf course.

Apples and oranges, my friend. They're both fruits, but totally different in texture and flavor. Just my two cents.

 

[Steve West]

Could work.

 

[Stardoggy]

Hot chicks.

 

[paulw]

Greens.

Disc golf and ball golf are very similar in almost every respect except - the vast majority of DG courses don't have greens. We have fairways with a basket at the end. We don't have a putting surface. I realize that the actual surface is much less important in our game than ball golf but the purpose of the green remains the same. Reward the player who lands on the putting surface with a much easier opportunity to hole out.

In my opinion the addition of greens (and sand traps) would do wonders for developing skill and introducing a more nuanced play style. For example, imagine a right handed player stepping up to a hole where their shot is a hyzer with a driver, any distance. Now put a sand trap on the edge of the circle on the right side in a half moon shape. Any shot making first contact with the ground outside of the circle on the right side is immediately dead and they're left with that length of putt, in sand (which increases the difficulty just like ball golf). If first contact is made inside the circle they risk skipping out of the circle for a potentially long putt unless they put much more hyzer on the disc and throw a spike, which is a specific shot and not necessarily the first choice of said golfer.

What do you all think?

Since you've titled the thread "do you know what disc golf needs?" you'll get many "beer cart" references -- of which I agree whole-heartedly we need beer carts and pretty people driving them that I can tip too much and make sure that they find me so that I can do it again as I finish the beer I just over-paid for I always picture that girl from the Adam Sandler movie in lingerie with the pitcher of beer or a true amateur division or a true pro division or a true tv contract or a farther flying tee bird but this run-on sentence ends now.

I believe a "half-moon sand trap, what do you think?" is more the thread title you're hoping for, but I've been wrong before.

I'd try out the half moon sand traps -- I like the idea but it seems real limited and difficult to make because of the physical nature of our discs/players. You'd need an addition "hazard" on the left of the approach or a paved "green" because it's not real tough to make a disc stop on grass or dirt.

I like the idea, but I also think our sport cries out for more OB and am always shouted down either here or on the course so my interest may be a bad omen for the "half moon sand trap revolution".

Oh -- and Idlewild is exactly what I'm talking about -- that's what a disc golf course should be, astroturf and all!!

 

[Stardoggy]

 

[tonyroberts]

I'm not a fan of use of the word "greens" in reference to the putting area in disc golf. They're not green, they're not a different, specially tended surface. Why do people say "the greens are fast on that course?" Doesn't make sense. That said, if you're building/maintaining a course, I don't have any problem with you adding some difficulty by adding obstacles. That's a design decision.

 

[FlightMedic]

19th hole. I enjoy drinking a beer and checking out the new gear in a pro shop after a game of ball golf. More courses need to have a small pro shop with a bar/grill.

 

[Tfire25]

I like the greens idea. Kind of. I don't care if its green, obstacle free, spray painted or whatever. I just think it would be awesome to have a 30 foot circle that I could visibly aim at. It would make my up shot game so much better.

 

[paulw]

That one.

 

[paulw]

19th hole. I enjoy drinking a beer and checking out the new gear in a pro shop after a game of ball golf. More courses need to have a small pro shop with a bar/grill.

Second. Even if it's a lunch truck and a trunk entrepreneur.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Hot chicks.

^ this. There are some, but you just don't run into many women on the course.

 

[Basshunter]

Beer carts

19th hole. I enjoy drinking a beer and checking out the new gear in a pro shop after a game of ball golf. More courses need to have a small pro shop with a bar/grill.

Don't be surprised if these things, or variations of them, become reality at a popular New England area course within the next year or so. I had a meeting about how to make that happen this evening.

EDIT: I should also point out that this is an excellent revenue stream for courses which can help fund course improvement and general maintenance, increase tournament purses and spectators and in general help grow disc golf. What disc golf truly lacks is "value added" experiences that increase interest, participation and revenue.

 

[depster]

Already there...

Greens.

Disc golf and ball golf are very similar in almost every respect except - the vast majority of DG courses don't have greens. We have fairways with a basket at the end. We don't have a putting surface. I realize that the actual surface is much less important in our game than ball golf but the purpose of the green remains the same. Reward the player who lands on the putting surface with a much easier opportunity to hole out.

In my opinion the addition of greens (and sand traps) would do wonders for developing skill and introducing a more nuanced play style. For example, imagine a right handed player stepping up to a hole where their shot is a hyzer with a driver, any distance. Now put a sand trap on the edge of the circle on the right side in a half moon shape. Any shot making first contact with the ground outside of the circle on the right side is immediately dead and they're left with that length of putt, in sand (which increases the difficulty just like ball golf). If first contact is made inside the circle they risk skipping out of the circle for a potentially long putt unless they put much more hyzer on the disc and throw a spike, which is a specific shot and not necessarily the first choice of said golfer.

What do you all think?

There is a brand new course here is STL, MO that has multiple holes on the back 9, that feature "sand traps", they are filled with mulch(less maintenance I suppose)and you do get rewarded for not landing in them with a easier putt. It doesn't have a putting surface like you would traditionally see but the circle is defined. The course is called Dunegant, it's in Florissant, MO.

 

[ru4por]

Greens...meh. :| Never ending quest to make disc golf more like ball golf....bahhhhh. :thmbdown: Beer cart....hooooray!! :hfive::thmbup::hfive:

 

[4th Rock]

Nah. IMO part of the sport is playing in terrain where other sports simply cannot go. It would be weird having a manicured putting area in the middle of a hardwood forest, or off in some arid climate area. Heck I kind of like baskets that are nestled in the terrain a bit to make it more challenging.

What a course needs is a giant beer keg and cooler half-way through the course. Gotta fill up somewhere haha.