milow369
Birdie Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2008
- Messages
- 277
My hobby lately is to head out to my favorite home course early, work on my round, break out the plastic shopping bags and clean trash along the way. I average 2-4 bags of trash per round, mostly beer cans but lots of water bottles and other. The focus of this post is beer cans. I've included a list of the course regulars - you've undoubtedly seen them at your favorite course.
Unfortunately, I am sure you are familiar with these - feel free to add any that I might be forgetting:
the artiste - this is the person who left an empty can hanging "artfully" on a tree limb or positioned on top of a basket or otherwise purposely placed somewhere other than the trash receptacle. They're very impressed with their creativity but we've all seen it before. Lots of artistes out there unfortunately.
the sorta eco-conscious - this is the person who cares enough about the environment and/or respects the beauty of the course enough to attempt to hide their can from view, i.e., under a stump, or deep in a bush, but is not committed enough to just take it to the next trash can. This actually creates more work for the person who catches a glimpse of the can walking up to the teebox and feels compelled to pick it up. In 1000 years if unfound that can is just going to be dirt anyway.
the lazy bastard - this is the person who threw their can near a trash can or litters on a hole (or park common area) which has an available trash can(s) on it. No attempt is made to hide the trash. From what I can tell some of these attempts (especially near the parking lot) are probably out a car window or from the back of a truck. Good attempts but sorta like that 30' putt on 18.
the double/multiples - this is a head scratcher for me personally. This is when I am two or three bad shots deep in the woods and find 2 cans of the same brand within 12 inches of each other. Maybe someone was drinking a beer when they threw their disc to this point and decided to slam another when they saw their lie? - don't know. They usually leave nice plastic behind - unmarked and near new.
the rat bastard (aka the P.O.S.) - this is the person who made a conscious attempt to throw their can deep into a place where no one could get it (without a machete and a full body suit) this is probably the worst offense in my book. It would be much easier for everyone if they just dumped their can on the ground in the middle the course for someone to get to it easily. Maybe they're trying to impress their friends. Cans stashed in the middle of poison ivy apply.
the Sally - this is the person who threw their can in the bushes with 2 or 3 sips remaining. Finish your beer Sally. Maybe this adds weight to the can which allows them propel it into a place where "no one would find it" - that just moves them to another category. See the rat bastard (AKA the P.O.S.) above. Not much better.
the glass dick - an unfortunate crackhead reference but applies beautifully. This is the litterbug who left empty glass bottles on the course. I usually feel great picking these up intact, because once they are broken they leave their mark for years. Usually found in pairs or multiples.
the responsible litterbug - this is the person who left his/her empty in a spot near the teebox where it can be easily picked up. This act will often prompt others of his/her kind to follow suit - after all, a neatly piled pyramid of aluminum cans in one area look almost as good as if there were none. Perfect place for a trash can but it's expensive to empty a trash can every day for every hole on the course. Downside - sometimes the pyramid isn't so organized or maybe it grows for a week.
Brands Found - in order of prevalence:
Keystone Light
Bud Light
Budweiser
Miller Lite
Other 5-10%
Bottles:
Dos XX
Water bottles, cigarette butts, energy drinks, etc. are the subject of another thread.
Disclaimer:
I feel compelled to speak my mind about trash on the course, because at a minimum I make a point to pack my trash out every time. If I don't leave anything behind and I don't screw up the scorecard, I've had a good round.
I don't want to come off preachy but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't passionate about this issue. I do want to get some ideas spurred by the dg community as how to attack this problem. A clean beach campaign in Santa Cruz, CA (Pack your Trash) was started by some surfers many years ago and is now a full on operation. They have made a huge impact - younger generations look down upon littering the beach.
It is a crime to play courses, my favorites, your favorites, only to see them degraded with trash. It's a huge, often losing battle, I will agree with you. It's not insurmountable.
I have yet to see or confront anyone littering but I'm not really looking, I'm too busy picking up after them. I suppose if it's ever in my face I will feel obligated to say something like I suppose any other good disc golfer would. I've never seen a blatant littering that I can remember. I try to pick up whatever is in my path (within reason) and I focus on the course and surrounding areas mainly. The rest of the greater park, parking lot, etc. that is easily accessible by park staff I leave to those folks. I just go play 1 again and pull out another bag and go about my business.
If I am playing with buddies, etc. or any time a moderate pace or better is required, I will only pick up stuff that is just wrong. On the teebox, on or around the basket, etc. It's tough for me to resist breaking out a bag and collecting cans when they are littered around the teebox, basket or the middle of the fairway, especially if and when I am just standing around. I have no problem letting people play through when I am picking up trash or any time for that matter (within reason). I make a good effort to be conscious of my pace of play at all times.
I would also say that the garbage cans are regularly about half full which means that a good percentage of people get it. That is encouraging. I would love to hear what has worked at your course.
I think there's a huge opportunity for the PDGA to jump on this as both a cause and a means to clean up that bad DG reputation. They could find a way to offer incentive during play (such as 1 throw for picking up 5 pieces of trash - i.e. mulligan or from total), possibly +1 or +2 for littering. If adopted by clubs this could be a DG tradition that would separate it from other sports and improve it's character. A cleaner course would only be one thing that would come as a result of something like this, but there I go being naively idealistic again.
I will update as this project continues, my ace count still remains at 1 (1993) but I feel great on almost every throw.
Unfortunately, I am sure you are familiar with these - feel free to add any that I might be forgetting:
the artiste - this is the person who left an empty can hanging "artfully" on a tree limb or positioned on top of a basket or otherwise purposely placed somewhere other than the trash receptacle. They're very impressed with their creativity but we've all seen it before. Lots of artistes out there unfortunately.
the sorta eco-conscious - this is the person who cares enough about the environment and/or respects the beauty of the course enough to attempt to hide their can from view, i.e., under a stump, or deep in a bush, but is not committed enough to just take it to the next trash can. This actually creates more work for the person who catches a glimpse of the can walking up to the teebox and feels compelled to pick it up. In 1000 years if unfound that can is just going to be dirt anyway.
the lazy bastard - this is the person who threw their can near a trash can or litters on a hole (or park common area) which has an available trash can(s) on it. No attempt is made to hide the trash. From what I can tell some of these attempts (especially near the parking lot) are probably out a car window or from the back of a truck. Good attempts but sorta like that 30' putt on 18.
the double/multiples - this is a head scratcher for me personally. This is when I am two or three bad shots deep in the woods and find 2 cans of the same brand within 12 inches of each other. Maybe someone was drinking a beer when they threw their disc to this point and decided to slam another when they saw their lie? - don't know. They usually leave nice plastic behind - unmarked and near new.
the rat bastard (aka the P.O.S.) - this is the person who made a conscious attempt to throw their can deep into a place where no one could get it (without a machete and a full body suit) this is probably the worst offense in my book. It would be much easier for everyone if they just dumped their can on the ground in the middle the course for someone to get to it easily. Maybe they're trying to impress their friends. Cans stashed in the middle of poison ivy apply.
the Sally - this is the person who threw their can in the bushes with 2 or 3 sips remaining. Finish your beer Sally. Maybe this adds weight to the can which allows them propel it into a place where "no one would find it" - that just moves them to another category. See the rat bastard (AKA the P.O.S.) above. Not much better.
the glass dick - an unfortunate crackhead reference but applies beautifully. This is the litterbug who left empty glass bottles on the course. I usually feel great picking these up intact, because once they are broken they leave their mark for years. Usually found in pairs or multiples.
the responsible litterbug - this is the person who left his/her empty in a spot near the teebox where it can be easily picked up. This act will often prompt others of his/her kind to follow suit - after all, a neatly piled pyramid of aluminum cans in one area look almost as good as if there were none. Perfect place for a trash can but it's expensive to empty a trash can every day for every hole on the course. Downside - sometimes the pyramid isn't so organized or maybe it grows for a week.
Brands Found - in order of prevalence:
Keystone Light
Bud Light
Budweiser
Miller Lite
Other 5-10%
Bottles:
Dos XX
Water bottles, cigarette butts, energy drinks, etc. are the subject of another thread.
Disclaimer:
I feel compelled to speak my mind about trash on the course, because at a minimum I make a point to pack my trash out every time. If I don't leave anything behind and I don't screw up the scorecard, I've had a good round.
I don't want to come off preachy but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't passionate about this issue. I do want to get some ideas spurred by the dg community as how to attack this problem. A clean beach campaign in Santa Cruz, CA (Pack your Trash) was started by some surfers many years ago and is now a full on operation. They have made a huge impact - younger generations look down upon littering the beach.
It is a crime to play courses, my favorites, your favorites, only to see them degraded with trash. It's a huge, often losing battle, I will agree with you. It's not insurmountable.
I have yet to see or confront anyone littering but I'm not really looking, I'm too busy picking up after them. I suppose if it's ever in my face I will feel obligated to say something like I suppose any other good disc golfer would. I've never seen a blatant littering that I can remember. I try to pick up whatever is in my path (within reason) and I focus on the course and surrounding areas mainly. The rest of the greater park, parking lot, etc. that is easily accessible by park staff I leave to those folks. I just go play 1 again and pull out another bag and go about my business.
If I am playing with buddies, etc. or any time a moderate pace or better is required, I will only pick up stuff that is just wrong. On the teebox, on or around the basket, etc. It's tough for me to resist breaking out a bag and collecting cans when they are littered around the teebox, basket or the middle of the fairway, especially if and when I am just standing around. I have no problem letting people play through when I am picking up trash or any time for that matter (within reason). I make a good effort to be conscious of my pace of play at all times.
I would also say that the garbage cans are regularly about half full which means that a good percentage of people get it. That is encouraging. I would love to hear what has worked at your course.
I think there's a huge opportunity for the PDGA to jump on this as both a cause and a means to clean up that bad DG reputation. They could find a way to offer incentive during play (such as 1 throw for picking up 5 pieces of trash - i.e. mulligan or from total), possibly +1 or +2 for littering. If adopted by clubs this could be a DG tradition that would separate it from other sports and improve it's character. A cleaner course would only be one thing that would come as a result of something like this, but there I go being naively idealistic again.
I will update as this project continues, my ace count still remains at 1 (1993) but I feel great on almost every throw.
