Is Utah Open a quality course

[Understable]

I saw that the home of the Utah Open will host 2020 Pro Worlds. Never play a round in Utah but wondering what the opinion of the course is? I've watched the JomezPro coverage of the Utah Open and always felt the course was lacking. Its a WIDE open course where the baskets are placed on mounds. It really seems like a big hyzer/anhyer course where you are focused on landing the disc and shaping the shot isn't that important.

Is that ball golf course really considered a quality venue for the Pro Tour and World events?

 

[roggenb3]

You're late:
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132977

 

[JC17393]

The course in the videos from previous Utah Opens is only ONE of the courses being used in the 2020 Pro Worlds. The other is reportedly a challenging and wooded course which will be featured in the 2019 Utah Open.

I know the urge always seems to be to question/doubt everything immediately, but perhaps no conclusions should be reached before all the info is known. This isn't some fly-by-night operation.

 

[jeffmonty]

Personally, I've lost interest in watching these tournaments set up on golf courses. Especially that course in Utah. There are a few exceptions, but so boring to watch for me.

We have a local DG course on a ball golf course that's really nice, and it's fairly popular, but I almost never play it because it bores me almost to tears. Throw hard a couple times, then putt. Repeat for 17 more holes. But you get to ride around in a cart, lol.

 

[Jay Dub]

Personally, I've lost interest in watching these tournaments set up on golf courses. Especially that course in Utah. There are a few exceptions, but so boring to watch for me.

We have a local DG course on a ball golf course that's really nice, and it's fairly popular, but I almost never play it because it bores me almost to tears. Throw hard a couple times, then putt. Repeat for 17 more holes. But you get to ride around in a cart, lol.

At my age this would be worth it.

 

[Eky8]

The course at Mulligans creekside disc golf course is just 1 of the courses that will be hosting worlds in 2020. The other is the fort. The fort will be featured in this years Utah Open. The course at the fort is challenging and wooded. Between the 2 courses most shots will be required.

I know a lot of people on here don't like the course at mulligans. It is a challenging course. Precise shot placement and good fearless putting are required to score well. Elite distance is helpful, but not required. The course really isn't that long. If you can't place your shot exactly where you want it, it will eat you alive. Lost discs are the norm. Mental strength is necessary. I've watched several pros completely lose their composure when things aren't going their way. And if there is bad weather then things get ugly really fast. No it doesn't film well, and some people think the golf is boring. That's ok. It does challenge the top pros and in combination with the wooded course at the fort should make for a very challenging worlds.

 

[JC17393]

Something else to keep in mind...it's silly to form a strong opinion one way or the other about the quality of a course based on seeing some rounds on video played by some of the very best players in the world. The likes of Ricky and Eagle and McBeth (top 3 at 2018 Utah Open) can make any course seem "easy" or "not challenging" or "boring".

I agree that courses like Mulligan's aren't that interesting to watch, but that shouldn't disqualify them from being used in elite-level tournaments.

 

[Hampstead]

The mountain background is the only reason to watch Utah Open coverage. Mountains and green grass are only things that make it a step up from Las Vegas. Boring hyzer OB golf otherwise.

 

[brutalbrutus]

Something else to keep in mind...it's silly to form a strong opinion one way or the other about the quality of a course based on seeing some rounds on video played by some of the very best players in the world. The likes of Ricky and Eagle and McBeth (top 3 at 2018 Utah Open) can make any course seem "easy" or "not challenging" or "boring".

I agree that courses like Mulligan's aren't that interesting to watch, but that shouldn't disqualify them from being used in elite-level tournaments.

Actually, the top pros are the only thing that makes it watchable. Could you imagine watching AMs play a wide open golf course?...

 

[Understable]

I had assumed that when the PDGA split the Master/Pro Worlds then going to two courses would generate events with higher course standards. I don't feel that Mulligans fits that standard. Even if there is a second course, they must both be of a true 'championship' caliber.

Augusta was a good example, the military course combined with John Houck's WR Jackson masterpiece was a true worlds challenge. Same with the two courses at Smugglers Notch. Both quality designs, not pitch and put designs.

 

[scarpfish]

Need I remind people that they only got two bids.

 

[DavidSauls]

It's also possible that some people consider it a quality course, and a suitable course for Pro Worlds.

 

[biscoe]

I had assumed that when the PDGA split the Master/Pro Worlds then going to two courses would generate events with higher course standards. I don't feel that Mulligans fits that standard. Even if there is a second course, they must both be of a true 'championship' caliber.

Augusta was a good example, the military course combined with John Houck's WR Jackson masterpiece was a true worlds challenge. Same with the two courses at Smugglers Notch. Both quality designs, not pitch and put designs.

I have heard as much complaining about the military base course as any course used for worlds in my memory.

 

[brutalbrutus]

I think that was a good course. Worlds quality... ehh. Maybe after a couple years breaking in, it was pretty rough on the woodsy holes. With the new teeth that Jackson hasn't gotten, I think another Worlds there would be just fine.

 

[Lazerface]

I admit I have may have gotten a little bored watching Utah Opens on YouTube, but I watched all the rounds none the less. When you combine a course like that with a challenging wooded course a good argument could be made that it's a perfect combo for the top players in our sport to compete for a world title on. The basket placements at Mulligans really does make for challenging shot placement and putting. I've seen some dramatics out there for sure. I also like the idea of seeing what player can manage both course styles the best.

Many of the top players actually prefer more open courses because they feel like there is less fluky results in general. Even a fair woods course can produce weird results. I have heard Simon say he hates that you can miss your line by 1 inch and get a brutal kick deep in the woods while an opponent can miss the line by 7 feet and hit a lucky gap and score well on a hole. Needless to say the guy who can throw 500 foot hyzers may have some bias.

Regardless of course style we continually see the same small group of folks rising to the top. There is nothing like a well filmed disc snaking down a tight fairway though. It's really fun to watch.

 

[Eky8]

I had assumed that when the PDGA split the Master/Pro Worlds then going to two courses would generate events with higher course standards. I don't feel that Mulligans fits that standard. Even if there is a second course, they must both be of a true 'championship' caliber.

Augusta was a good example, the military course combined with John Houck's WR Jackson masterpiece was a true worlds challenge. Same with the two courses at Smugglers Notch. Both quality designs, not pitch and put designs.

What is it about the Mulligans course that you feel makes it less than championship caliber? Is it simply that you don't like watching it? Or that you don't like the style of course? Or is there something else?

 

[GoobyPls]

I literally fell asleep watching the Utah Open rounds last year.

 

[Understable]

What is it about the Mulligans course that you feel makes it less than championship caliber? Is it simply that you don't like watching it? Or that you don't like the style of course? Or is there something else?

I don't like the terrain or the design of the course.
Terrain - its wide open and flat. To bring challenge to the course they have perched baskets on top of mounds usually with sand traps on one side of the green. The goal is the throw a hyzer that will turn over and blade towards the ground at enough of an angle not to roll.

Design - Unlike this course with its dozen or so trees, even an 'open course' like the USDGC uses OB rope to build challenge to an other wise easy course. There is some path OB but they could have created a far more interesting course by roping to narrow and reshape fairways to allow more challenge. This is a bomber course, pure and simple.

Hole 18 is with its OB lake is pretty but at 207' you shouldn't make this a finishing hole. A proper hole 18 should be a par 4 or par 5 to challenge the competitors. Yeah Ricky had a walk off ace but at 207' anyone can do that. Multiple challenging throws to allow for mistakes and pressure to build for the leaders going down to the finish. Look at Winthrop Gold, Maple Hill and Harmony Bends all have long par 4-5 finishing holes to challenge the golfer to the very end.

 

[martinb]

i personally dont like mulligans because it is too wide open and super long for my weak arm. i played in the first utah open there and havent gone back. that doesnt mean its a bad course, all the open big arm players like it. its a challenge to their skills and abilities. and yes it will cater to the guys who can throw a putter 500 feet and land it on a dime, you know who they are!
the fort is a championship caliber course. when they first put it in just a couple of years ago the goal was to provide a gold course-level type environment and theyve succeeded. lots of trees and really tough but the fairways are "fair" leaving it up to the player to achieve success in execution. the way the younger players are throwing now, its perfect in length.
lastly i will say this, im lucky to throw 350 feet nowadays and the course kicks my ass, but after every round there i want to play it again. so all you naysayers should play it at least once to see if its a bad course before poo-pooing it.

 

[Understable]

I have heard as much complaining about the military base course as any course used for worlds in my memory.

Complaining for what? Too long, too difficult?