Michigan New Course Updates

[ru4por]

Played Hudson Mills Monster today. The park continues to cut back foliage off the fairways to the point where there's essentially no punitive effect of leaving the fairway on too many of the holes.

On #'s 3,5,7-9, 11-13, D, E, F, 16... no reason not to just go for it with reckless abandon off the tee... even if it doesn't go your way, it may not cost you par.

I thought they were doing this to combat invasive Russian Olive, but I'm not sure I even recall seeing any the past few years.

I think it is still mostly Russian Olive they are going after. I imagine they are not being very judicious when doing the clearing. They really hit the original hard the last couple years, I figured they would be getting to work on the other course. I does suck, but I want to believe that aggressive native species will start to take hold, it will take a few years though. My fear is that those native species will be rose bush and raspberry. OUCH. Toboggan will probably be a nice study, as to what will happen to HM. With far less traffic, the shule should recover there pretty quickly. I guess we have to trust in the park system and be patient. I am betting we will see the same process at Willow, Kensington and Stony as well. Though, I am not sure they had as much Russian Olive.

 

[XC_Eddy]

A new course is going up in Gladstone. Yay for Yoopers disc golf. If Pioneer Trail gets put back in (which is not a given, unfortunately), then we will have 3 good courses between Escanaba and Gladstone combined!

 

[dwindacatcher]

Kinda a bummer about hudson mills. I wonder if they found my wraith...even if I don't get it back, someone needs to be throwing that beautiful bastard. (Tall grass on 14 just past the short teepad)

I asked the mott parks about the flint disc golf course and they are still deciding on funding for it and other projects. Hopefully if they don't decide to fund it they let us do fund raisers for it.

 

[RoosterRobb]

How many new holes projected for Rolling?

Love that course, just don't love paying non-resident access

From what I understand, the park has approved 18 new holes.

There is a great bit of land southeast of the sledding hill, but it likely only has room for about 6 holes. I believe that area is being prioritized and a good amount of work has already been done.

The other area being considered for the other 12 holes is north of holes 1, 2, 4, and 5.

I haven't heard much on a timeline for baskets to go in or anything.

Hope that helps

 

[da Crippler]

A new course is going up in Gladstone. Yay for Yoopers disc golf. If Pioneer Trail gets put back in (which is not a given, unfortunately), then we will have 3 good courses between Escanaba and Gladstone combined!

That's great news, but I just heard today that the proposed course at the old Danforth ski hill was rejected. I was told the cops don't want us back there.:\

 

[esdubya]

From what I understand, the park has approved 18 new holes.

There is a great bit of land southeast of the sledding hill, but it likely only has room for about 6 holes. I believe that area is being prioritized and a good amount of work has already been done.

The other area being considered for the other 12 holes is north of holes 1, 2, 4, and 5.

I haven't heard much on a timeline for baskets to go in or anything.

Hope that helps

This is all more or less accurate.. I've been somewhat involved in more of an occasional advisory role. Yes they want to make progress, and make it quickly before the spring and the water park consumes all of the resources there.

6 extra holes that would fit in roughly between 14 and 15. The negotiations are ongoing since that area already has walking and mountain bike trails.

Then, 12 to 18 more holes that would be north of the existing course.

Also looking to add alternative tees to a few of the holes on the existing course that don't have them, like #3 for example.

One other exciting bit - They are investigating a tiki style short warm-up course that would go in the woods to the right of hole #1.

If anyone wants to get involved, send me a PM and I'll put you in contact with the DG side of the effort.

 

[XC_Eddy]

That's great news, but I just heard today that the proposed course at the old Danforth ski hill was rejected. I was told the cops don't want us back there.:\

It's going to be at the John and Melissa Besse Sports Park. It has been approved, and Eric McCabe is going to come up here and design it. Here's a relevant news article with quotes from people you know:thmbup::

http://www.dailypress.net/news/local-news/2017/01/gladstone-to-expand-recreation/

 

[da Crippler]

It's going to be at the John and Melissa Besse Sports Park. It has been approved, and Eric McCabe is going to come up here and design it. Here's a relevant news article with quotes from people you know:thmbup::

http://www.dailypress.net/news/local-news/2017/01/gladstone-to-expand-recreation/

Approved but not paid for, except for the design. The city is flat broke, so the burden of raising the $60-$70K (or more) needed to build a 27-hole course, not to mention ongoing management and maintenance costs, falls on the club. We shall see if they are up to the task.

 

[davetherocketguy]

I think I have mentioned this before in this thread but Lake Township park is going to finally get the redesign it desperately needs:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...I&ll=41.92454633663207,-86.5395597245377&z=16

I will also be posting information on the Sand Ridge Disc golf Club on Facebook.

The Township just acquired about 10 acres of heavily wooded property to the south so a large portion of the course will be moved back there. We will need a lot of volunteer help putting this together such as the typical items like clearing, forming up concrete pads, basket installation and the like. The tentative plan is for a lot of this work to take place in March. As details come in I will provide them here so anyone in the area is asked to help. While it will certainly won't be a Flip City caliber course it will be a vast improvement over what is there now. Thanks!

 

[apdrvya]

I think I have mentioned this before in this thread but Lake Township park is going to finally get the redesign it desperately needs:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...I&ll=41.92454633663207,-86.5395597245377&z=16

I will also be posting information on the Sand Ridge Disc golf Club on Facebook.

The Township just acquired about 10 acres of heavily wooded property to the south so a large portion of the course will be moved back there. We will need a lot of volunteer help putting this together such as the typical items like clearing, forming up concrete pads, basket installation and the like. The tentative plan is for a lot of this work to take place in March. As details come in I will provide them here so anyone in the area is asked to help. While it will certainly won't be a Flip City caliber course it will be a vast improvement over what is there now. Thanks!

i hope they can salvage something here. it's a great park with a terribly laid out course...

 

[davetherocketguy]

i hope they can salvage something here. it's a great park with a terribly laid out course...

I'm very hopeful. I've been on the new property (albeit years ago) and as I recall it should be well suited to disc golf. However, even though the layout is much improved and will be far better suited to tournaments I suspect this won't be much more than a 3/5 rated course. And honestly, that's okay by me. It's worth it.

Larry Leonardi (Essential Discs) has been working closely with the Township making sure that there are no silly hazards like before so we won't have to skip holes just because a soccer game is going on. Also, the parks department has stated that part of the reason they bought the new acreage was expressly for disc golf so we have that going for us as well.

 

[Reniger]

As an update, there has been a TON of chatter in the local group about Hammond Hill in Hastings, MI having Mountain Bike paths added. There's a vicious debate going on between multi-use park users and DG solo groups. In my mind, the more use the park gets, the better the amenities get and the better the public funding/vision of the park. However, there are also some bike paths that come very close to several holes and a few bike paths (that I hear are being moved this spring) that cross 2 fairways.

I'm pretty neutral to the whole issue, but I do see both sides. 1) More risk of DG'ers hitting a biker and injuring a non-DG player. 2) More attention, funding, and potential amenities to a great local course. (in very basic terms)

Either way, it's something to be aware of as there are multiple sanctioned tournaments and plenty of traffic to the course.

 

[da Crippler]

One of the courses in Marquette has a bike trail going through the middle, and it really hasn't been a problem at all. The course is sometimes closed for races for a few hours, but those instances are rare. Communication between golfers and bikers is key, as is educating the public about disc golf. Parks are there for everyone to enjoy.

 

[TimSyl]

A mountain bike trail is scheduled to be put it at Meyer Broadway. The effect on the disc courses is supposed to be minimal.

 

[apdrvya]

There was some chatter yesterday on facebook about a course in Irons (where they do the flea market and ox roast) and in wolf lake (north of Baldwin) any word from any northerners?

 

[The Shide]

A friend on the Scene just posted a score at a place called Nestrom Road Park in Whitehall (aka Fruitland Township). Anyone else hear anything about this place?

 

[apdrvya]

so,
There has been a lot of talk on the Whitehall group on facebook.
they have been putting in overtime trying to get this place done quickly.
I will have to check it out if it's nice this week, I'm a lot closer now

 

[The Shide]

Cool. I'm not on the facebook, so I miss out on a lot of news.

 

[apdrvya]

added today as "FRUITLAND TOWNSHIP PARK"
I played through 8 when my 2 year old got tired.
Course is NOT stroller friendly
constant work being done but at the moment, routing is nightmarish.
Will withhold review until more work done.

 

[rshrevo]

Rush Creek Park Redesigned

Rush Creek park in Georgetown township or Hudsonville has been redesigned and lengthened.

First tee by entrance to park towards pine trees behind tennis courts on right.

second hole near fence line towards path tucked in by trees where old hole 5 was.

3rd hole goes back towards the woods behind the tennis courts.

follow path to the 4th tee Fairway is in the woods across the path basket tucked in behind trees on left.

5th tee is other side of path towards creek. Fairway plays down pathway and all the way across the wide open field. would estimate it around at least 700 feet or so.

6 hole goes pretty straight. right now there are a lot of ruts from the tire tracks of the equipment used to clear fairway.

7th tee tucked into woods by parkling lot by tennis courts. basket is towards soccer field on the other side of park near the the path they are making that i think connects the park to port sheldon. Road can come into play.

8 tee is other side of road basket is located towards the ballfield near the entrance to the park.

9 tee is third base side of backstop aiming back towards the pavilion on the other side of the park.

Tee boards are in for each hole. Baskets currently do not have the correct hole number on the as of yet. Two red flags near tee boards to help locate the new locations of the tees.

This is no longer a pitch and putt course you will need some distance on a few holes to get to the basket.
:thmbup::clap: